Nigerian secondary school students are becoming sexually active at an increasing earlier age. Sexually active students are at risk of contacting STDs, including HIV infection. As a result, health education initiatives to increase level of knowledge, influence attitudes and encourage safe sexual practices are being implemented in schools, but the effectiveness of these programmes have not been evaluated. In this study, the knowledge, attitude and sexual risk behaviors of 223 students who received a comprehensive health education intervention were compared with 217 controls. At post-test, intervention students exhibited greater knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention (P < 0.05). Intervention students were less likely to feel AIDS is a white man's disease and were more likely to be tolerant of people living with the disease (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the mean number of reported sexual partners among the experimental students significantly decreased from 1.51 to 1.06, while it increased from 1.3 to 1.39 among the controls. Among the intervention students there was also an increase in consistent use of the condom and the use of the condom at last sexual intercourse. We conclude that students can benefit from specific education programmes that transmit important information necessary to prevent risky behavior, and improve knowledge and attitudes on HIV/AIDS.
PIP: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a school-based AIDS education program for secondary school students in the local government area of Ibadan, Nigeria. It compared the knowledge, attitude, and sexual risk behaviors of 233 senior students who received comprehensive health education intervention with 217 controls. A baseline survey was conducted prior to the implementation of the HIV/AIDS education sessions. Evaluation of the intervention was carried out after 6 months. Baseline and endline data of the intervention and the control groups were then analyzed. Baseline data showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups as to their knowledge and attitudes on HIV/AIDS and their sexual behavior. Endline comparisons, however, reveal that the knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention was significantly higher (P 0.05) in the intervention group. Furthermore, 92.8% of the intervention students as compared to only 56.7% of the controls felt AIDS constituted a problem in Nigeria, indicating better attitudes among the intervention group. The endline data also showed that there was a decrease in the number of sexual partners among the intervention students from 1.51 to 1.06, while their condom use increase. In conclusion, the education program was successful in improving the student's sexual practices as well as their knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS.