Study to Improve the Health-seeking Behaviour of In-school Adolescents

Objectives of the project:

1. To determine the pattern of sexual activity among in-school adolescents in Benin City
2. To explore adolescents knowledge and perceptions of various STDs
3. To determine the proportion of adolescents who had experienced symptoms of STDs
4. To understand what adolescents do to prevent and treat STD symptoms
5. To identify the factors that influence the use of services for STDs treatment and prevention by adolescents
6. To explore ways to improve adolescents use of appropriate methods for the prevention and treatment of STDs

Study Components:

The study consisted of a baseline survey and an intervention component.

Baseline survey:

• Focus group discussions with in-school adolescents
• In-depth interviews with health providers - doctors, pharmacists, patent medicine dealers and traditional healers
• Questionnaire survey of adolescents in 12 secondary schools in Benin City

Intervention:

• Provision of reproductive health information to adolescents in 4 schools
• Creation of health clubs in the schools
• Training of peer educators who provided peer counseling on STDs during and after school hours
• Training of health providers (private doctors, patent medicine dealers, and pharmacists) to improve their treatment and prevention methods for STDs in adolescents

Youth, HIV/AIDS, Reproductive Health, Family Planning.

Available evidence suggests that there is a high rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among Nigerian adolescents. Despite the high rate of STDs among Nigerian adolescents, it has been recognized that many adolescents either do not receive treatment or receive inadequate treatment for various STDs. It is conceivable that the lack of proper treatment of STDs is one of the factors that maintain the high rate of infection among adolescents, and contributes to high HIV transmission in the country.