Relationship between Risk Perception of HIV/AIDS and Sexual Behaviours among Senior High School Students in the Tema Metropolis
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Date
2014
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
HIV/AIDS is still a big public health issues as adolescents today have not known a
world without AIDS. The school environment offers great opportunity for HIV high risk
behaviours. Despite a great awareness of the dangers of the disease and the abundance of
knowledge, young people continue to engage in behaviours that place them at risk of
contracting the disease. The main objective of the study is to determine the relationship
between HIV risk perception and sexual behaviours among senior high school students in
the Tema Metropolis.
Using a quantitative approach, a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was
used in soliciting responses about the knowledge, risk perception, self-efficacy and sexual
behaviours from 220 senior high school students. The data collected was processed using the
software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 16.0). Univariate analysis was used
to determine the Correlations between perceived of risk of HIV/AIDS other variables sexual
behaviours. Results from the study show that male students generally have high self-efficacy
regarding the practice of safe sex, a relationship also exists between knowledge and risk
perception, knowledge and self-efficacy and self-efficacy and reported sexual behaviour.
Findings of the research call for innovative/creative ways to empower young people
to take control of their lives by making the right decisions concerning their sexual
behaviour. Parents are also encouraged to openly discuss HIV and sexual related matters
with their children. And finally, including HIV education into the academic curriculum for
children to have protective information and equipped with the necessary skills before they
become sexually active.
Description
Thesis (MPH)-University of Ghana, 2014