The Effect of Health Education on the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Secondary School Students
Chapter One
Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study was to analyze the extent of awareness of health education in school-going teenagers and its result in the prevention of STD-HIV/AIDS. Specifically, the study attempts to find out, whether the teenage students have the knowledge of STD-HIV/IDS that is included in the health education curriculum.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Framework
Concept of Sex Education
Sexuality education came into being in different countries at various times. It is an ongoing lifetime process of acquiring information about culture beliefs, values and perception of our bodies, emotions, attitude, gender identities and sexual orientation. (Nzeribe, 2002)
Sex education is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception and other aspects of human sexual behaviour. Common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, community programs, and public health campaigns (The Guardian, 11 May, 2004).
Yahaya (2003) postulated that sexuality education program deals with biological, moral, emotional, social issues, and the challenges that the young, youth and unmarried individual face about sex. Sex education is a planned process of education that foster the acquisition of factual information, the information of positive attitude, beliefs, and values as well as biological, psychological, socio cultural and spiritual aspects of human sexuality (Action Health, 2003).
Action health also stated the main goals of sexuality education as the promotion of sexual health or providing individual with the opportunities to:
- Develop positive and factual view of sexuality
- Acquire the information and skill they need to take care of their sexual health diseases and HIV/Aids
- Respect and values themselves and others
- Acquire the skills needed to make healthy decision about their health and
Raul and Melgosa (2002) said that sex education will enlighten our youth and prevent them from developing a sense of guilt, horror, disgusting fear of sex especially when they perform sex act at the right time and with the right partner. It will enable our youth to have self respect and self control with due consideration for the spouses.
Sexuality education in Nwahizu (2006) stated that adult who expressed concern that knowledge will promote promiscuity among adolescent has long hampered sexuality education. He lamented by saying sexuality education does not encourage early initiative of intercourse, and lead to more consistence and understanding what the concept is all about. The concept of Sex Education (2005) lamented that it will familiarized the youth with their future roles as husband and wives, prevent unwanted pregnancies, to understand that true love waits, to have a general knowledge of their body system, growth and functions.
Sex Education Review (2005) stated that sexuality education is a process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationship and intimacy. It is also about developing young people‟s skills so that they make informed choices about their behaviour. It is widely accepted that young people have right to sex education, because it is the means which they are helped to protect themselves against exploitation, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS.
Clabough and Rozycki (1990) pointed out that the existence of AIDs has given a sense or urgency to the topic of sex education which is seen by most scientists as a vital public health strategy. Their review of several studies shows that abstinence only program did not reduce the likelihood of pregnancy of women who participated in the programs but rather increase it.
Sex education is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse and other aspects of human sexual behaviour. Common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, community programs and public health campaigns (retried 2009).
Ikpe (2004) postulated that sexuality education defines the humanity including one‟s self image, being a male or a female, physical looks and reproduction capacity; in the natural part of life, it is about the way we are made, how we feel, what roles we play in the society and how we procreate.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The research study attempts to explore the reality based on the method of quantitative and descriptive analysis. The quantitative approach attempts to analysis the data by using the spss statistical software, whereas the descriptive and interpretative analysis attempts to give meaning to the data.
Data sources
The sources of data are basically primary, however, secondary data that were relevant to the study has also been captured from international educational journals that were available to highlight the reality behind the impact that support health education reflects in preventing STD-HIV/AIDS among the school going teenagers’.
The primary data were collected through semi structured questionnaire from both male and female teenagers’ of grade 9th and 10th. This has become the strength in formulating the study to give the real picture of the reality.
Research sample
The samples for the research study include both male and female gender of grade 9th and 10th of public schools around Akwa Ibom state. The age of the sample was between 13 years of age to 18 years of age. The sample size for the research study is 280 this includes all the sample of age, gender and grades. (See annex 1, 2 and 3)
CHAPTER FOUR
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
Introduction
The finding of the research is based on the research problem statement and the research questions. The finding includes three main subtitles, which throw the heat rather than the light to the purpose of the study. The main three subtitles are importance of health education felt by the teenagers’, lesson learned by the teenagers’ from health education, and the knowledge of measures to be taken using contraceptives from preventing HIV/AIDS.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
To conclude my study based on the finding, it can be concluded that health education have brought about many importance knowledge that is relevant to the safeguarding of health. The study of the research was focused on the teenagers’ both male and female to find out the basic knowledge they have acquired about health education. The research study also framed a model theoretical construction to find whether the social and cognitive theory of learning has occurred in the teenagers’ so that they would be informed and also try to inform the societal members that ultimately benefits the social aspect of life. Based on the theory of learning, it can be concluded that the learning has occurred as they are more informed about the sexually transmitted disease and the method to prevent by using temporary and permanent contraceptives. There are still chunks of teenagers’ who have not received proper attention, however, majority of teenagers’ have agreed on gaining the knowledge and also have a positive inclination of importance and the need of health education in the curriculum.
Conclusively, it can be stated that school going teenager’s who have taken over the course of health education in secondary level both female and male have felt the necessity and importance of this education. Moreover, these teenagers have also become aware of STD and the knowledge of contraceptives. This however, can be stated that learning process have occurred and can therefore be stated that constructed theoretical framework for this research purpose is significant based upon the data that were analyzed through statistical software.
NEED FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS
Despite have the research on health education among the school going teenagers, the research was limited to knowledge based. The theoretical framework constructed for the purpose of this research exhibit the existence of knowledge gathered by the students of different gender, age and level of education. However, health education is considered as one of the prime aspect to prevent STD which is vulnerable among the school going teenagers.
Taking into consideration of being aware and learning process, health education have gained a ground in providing knowledge of STD, contraceptives and its necessity in social milieu. However, it can be understood that those students who have learned about the knowledge that health education provides have a high chances of preventing themselves from STD. Nevertheless, when sharing of such knowledge is concerned with social members, basically the female gender might have trouble in communicating such knowledgeable information.
After passing out and moving in to high school, students finds themselves into more complex situation when it comes into concern of being socializing among new friends and adopting new cultures. This situation might bring the students into the position of almost shutting their voice of being unfamiliar towards sexuality talking.
References
- Family planning association of Nepal (2007). Abortion need of female injecting drug users in Nepal: a FGD report excerpts. Vol. 28. No. 2
- Grossman, Jean Baldwin; Walker, Karen E; Kotloff, Lauren J.; Pepper, Sarah (2001). Adult communication and teen sex; changing a community. Philadelphia, pa. www.eric.ed.gov; ED 466887
- Rajbhandari (2007). Community readiness for self-managed school. Masters dissertation. Grarkhu, Lalitpur, Kathmandu University School of education. www.eric.ed.gov; ED 498417.
- Rajbhandari (2008). Glue, a cheap substitute for intoxication. www.ohmynews.com
- U.S. Department of Health and Human (2008). Adolescent health in the united states, 2007, Maryland.
- Href 1. http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~lynda_abbott/Cognitive.html
