A Comparative Study Of Risk Behaviours And Hiv/Aids Awareness Among Adolescents With And Without Hearing Impairment In Western Part Of Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined a comparative study of Risk behaviours and HIV/AIDS Awareness among adolescent Hearing Impaired and Hearings in Western part of Nigeria. The target populations were drawn from both special schools and regular schools with one hundred and twenty (120) participants (60 from special schools and 60 from mainstream schools). Their age ranged between 15-20 years with a mean of 17.5 years and standard deviation of 2.5 years. Three hypotheses were developed and tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation method and student –t-test statistic. The Results indicates the following: that a significant relationship exists between risk behaviour and HIV/AIDS awareness of both hearing impaired and normal Adolescents; significant difference exists in the risk behaviour and awareness level of HIV/AIDS among the Hearing impaired and Normal Adolescents and that irrespective of gender, risk behaviour and HIV/AIDS Awareness of Normal and Hearing Impaired Adolescents are the same. Based on these findings, it was suggested that appropriate AIDS education programme should be provided for the Nigerian Hearing Impaired Adolescents and also for the normal hearing, but with emphasis for the hearing impaired.

International Journal of Emotional psychology and sport ethics (IJEPSE) Vol. 7 2005: pp. 23-33