CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
HIV/AIDS is basically a health and social problem menacing the entire world and Nigeria at large. This disease is said to be caused by Human Deficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS) AIDS disease is terminal. The virus has the potential of hiding in places like the brain cells of the bones marrow, the cells in different places, and it develops resistance to drug.
The HIV/AIDS virus is such that can be transmitted by various means namely, by sex, infected needles, blood transfusion, child birth and other means. However, the most prominent means is by sex and hence more importantly by exchange of blood can lead to transfusion of HIV.
According to the Ministry of Healthy in Nigeria, Nigerians infected with HIV, now numbered 3,47 million, and in Benue and Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Anambra and Abuja are said to have the highest prevalence rate. The HIV scourge is actually threatening Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. HIV disproportionately affect future leaders. In Nigeria, ages 15 and 47 account for more than 70 percent of HIV infections. Nearly 80 percent HIV transmission unprotected sexual intercourse. In this regards, the none Governmental organizations NGOs, international bodies and government have through lectures, seminars, handbills newspapers and magazines and electronic media and other means created awareness on the nature and effects of HIV/AIDS. AKBC radio campaign is believed to be the most appropriate channel through which the far-flung heterogeneous people within the country and state could be reach as quickly as possible and subsequently educate about the HIV/AIDS disease, how to prevent, curb and hopefully overcome it totally. Few factors can impact our ability to protect ourselves from HIV more than our level of self-esteem. Recently young people in Nigeria have been moderately affected by the globally HIV epidemic. Today, however the HIV epidemic in Africa is one of the rapidly increasing epidemics in the world. It is mainly concentrated to vulnerable groups such as intravenous drug users, sex workers, the purchase of sexual services and the financially marginalized.
Statement of the Problem
The foremost, of the problem is the extent to which AKBC is able to educate and enlighten the public especially the youth on how to prevent HIV/AIDS since high level of illiteracy and low education has been attributed to high spread of the deadly disease.
The study will also show the degree at which the AKBC radio Campaign has gone among the general population especially the youth of Ikot Ekpene Local Government. Other problems include but not limited to the level of effectiveness of AKBC radio Campaign in reducing the spread of the deadly disease, HIV/AIDS by keeping large number of the public aware of the dangers inherent in HIV/AIDS. With the ability of the AKBC radio to reach a wide range of people, how has it been able to effectively educate the youths of Ikot Ekpene on the HIV/AIDS scourge.
Objevtives of the Study
This study has the following objectives:
To find out if the youths in Ikot Ekpene are aware of HIV/AIDS.
To ascertain how often youths in Ikot Ekpene Local Government are expose to AKBC radio campaign on HIV/AIDS.
To examine the extent to which the youths in Ikot Ekpene Local Government are utilizing AKBC radio messages translate into increased preventive measures on HIV/AIDS.
Research Questions
Are youths in Ikot Ekpene aware of HIV/AIDS?
How often are youths in Ikot Ekpene Local Government are exposed to AKBC radio campaign on HIV/AIDS?
To what extent are youths in Ikot Ekpene Local Government are utilizing AKBC radio messages translate into increased preventive measures on HIV/AIDS?
Scope of the Study
The study focused on the EFFECTIVENESS OF AKBC RADIO CAMPAIGN ON HIV/AIDS AND ITS EFFECTS ON YOUTH, and it will be limited to Ikot Ekpene local Government using major roads: Aba Road, Chub Road, Market Road, Otong Road and Etok Road all in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
Significance of the Study
The study will be of benefits to a lot of people and groups in knowing the level of public awareness on HIV/AIDS especially the youths. This study will give the youths the reason to know their
HIV/AIDS Status and how to abstain from it. Also government will at the end of this research know the method appropriate medium to communicate HIV/AIDS message to the public. It will also form part of the academic work for future researcher to use as reference in the search for facts in this same field of study. Finally, this work will enliven the entire public on the dangers of stigmatization on the infected patients.
Limitation of the Study
Research involves a systematic way of solving a lasting problem. To be able to achieve your aims there are challenges a researcher must have to scale through. The major problem that the researcher encounters in the course of this work was time constrained since the research work combined and conducted simultaneously with lectures in school in preparation for the researcher’s final examination. This posed a major problem on her. As such the researcher had a difficult moment in administering the questionnaire on her respondents. But effort of success helped her scaled through this extraordinary task.
Definition of Terms
Akbc Radio: This is an acronym for Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation- Radio Station situated on the landmark of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. It is the medium through which HIV/AIDS campaign messages is passed across to the public, especially the youths in Ikot Ekpene.
Campaign: This refers to the complete, planned course of action formulated to achieve defined objectives in enhancing the speculation of HIV/AIDS operation in the society.
Effects: This refers to causing the status of HIV/AIDS to change often in a negative way. It also results when something is done or campaign being carried out to effects its usual state of being.
Ikot Ekpene: This is a Local Government in Akwa Ibom State. The youths used for this study are found here.
Youths: Youths in this study refers to as a person between the age 15 to 34years.
