_HIV/AIDS Awareness Programmes On Behavior Change Among The Youth In Public Secondary Schools In Mbita , Homabay County, Kenya

Abstract

This research study titled, HIV/Aids awareness programs on behavior change among youth in public secondary schools, was conducted in Mbita Sub-County, Homabay County in Kenya. It was intended to examine HIV/Aids awareness programs and influence of behavior change among youth in public secondary schools within Mbita. Despite several interventions which have shown a reduction in the national, regional and global statistics of HIV/Aids infection, the rate of new HIV infections among adolescents has been increasing in Kenya. The objectives are to examine the influence of counseling and testing programs on behavior change among youths in public secondary schools in Mbita sub-county. Determine the influence of youth promotion programs on behavior change among youth in public secondary schools in Mbita Sub-county, evaluate the influence of health education programs on behavior change among youth in public secondary schools in Mbita Sub-county and assess how parental support programs influence behavior change among youth in public secondary schools in Mbita Sub-county. The study used a mixed method project design where both qualitative and quantitative research techniques were used. Slowball technique was used to identify representative samples of students in each of the six schools where HIV/Aids programs existed with a target population of 348 respondents. Questionnaires and interview schedule were the main research instruments in the study. The respondents voluntarily participated in the interview, where research tools were administered to each independently. The results showed that there was no significant difference in response in gender, type of school and family type. The results also showed that counseling and testing had a weak positive relationship to delaying sexual debut among secondary school-going adolescents in Mbita Sub-County whereas r = 0.045 and n= 275 and p> 0.05 p= 0.457 indicating lack of statistical significance between the variables. Equally, the study found that there was no statistical significance between youth promotion programs and the study outcome variable r= 0.022 and n= 275 and p> 0.05 p= 0.715. The study also found negative association between health education programs and outcome variable r= - 0.018, n = 275 and p> 0.05, p= 0.766. However, the study found a positive strong association between parental support programs and delaying sexual debut r= 0.634 and n= 275 and p < 0.05 p= 0.027. It can be concluded that parental support programs through advice, role modeling, parental guidance, and empowerments should be well anchored and strengthened at a family level within the society. The research recommends that another study of wider geographical scope be conducted to validate the findings of this research, adolescents need to be trained on safe sex and partner reductions. On youth promotion programs, the study recommends the selective use of youth-friendly programs, and on parental support programs, this study recommends that behavior change programs should center on parents empowerment and support to reinforce positive behavior among the youth