Rose Opara1, King Odor2, and Ngozi Iwuji3
1Gertrude Abbot Nursing Home, Surry Hills, Australia
2University of Ibadan
3Olive Hospital and Maternity, Nigeria
Health information dissemination is an activity that ensures behavior change among most risk population relating to risk practices that promote ill health. This activity is adopted in formal and non-formal settings. Facilities and personnel are employed to provide health information for behavior change, which aims at preparing teenagers to contribute socio-economically to the society they live. However, evidence-based studies in Africa involving use of communication technology have been limited to the dissemination of arts and dramas with limited attention paid to health information. This study therefore, determined the role of Health Communication Technology in Disseminating Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among African Teens.
A total of 202 participants in four youth-friendly centres in Owerri, Nigeria were used. Six null hypotheses were formulated and tested. Four ICT instruments namely: DVD machine, Projector, Displayer Screen and DVD (MP3disc) were used for the study at each of the four centres
The results revealed there was significant behavior change on teenagers’ attitude and behaviour. It also showed there was significant behavior on teenagers’ knowledge in contraceptive use. There was significant result on attitude of teenagers to contraceptive use and education. However, there was no significant gender difference on teenagers’ knowledge on development and contraceptive use. There was also no significant gender difference on teenagers’ attitude to contraceptive use and education
Government at all levels should support the establishment of youth-friendly centres equipped with communication technology facilities, in order to improve teenagers’ behaviours on contraceptive use especially in the face of risky practices. They should be encouraged to adopt this strategy
