“It is hard to abstain” : investigating young people’s utilisation of HIV/AIDS prevention information : a case study of Namboole High School

Abstract

HIV/AIDS remains a significant public health concern, especially among young people in Uganda. Despite extensive efforts to curb HIV/AIDS, there remains a gap in understanding how young people effectively use prevention messages. This study investigates how young people in the Straight Talk club at Namboole High School use HIV/AIDS prevention information. While other channels such as social media have their advantages, Straight Talk clubs offer face-to-face interaction, and a structured, safe, supportive, and confidential environment for discussing sensitive topics like HIV/AIDS prevention. Building on the Uses and Gratifications Theory and the Health Belief Model, the qualitative research study, employed four in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions, to find out how young people in the Straight Talk Club at Namboole High School use HIV/AIDS prevention messages, the barriers in communication that hinder utilisation of prevention messages and their preferred formats of receiving HIV/AIDS prevention messages. The findings of the study indicate that while young people are exposed to HIV/AIDS prevention messages, many of them prefer the use of condoms to abstinence. The participants say they face challenges such as exposure to sexual content. They also say some of these HIV/AIDS prevention messages are confusing, that’s why they are unable to apply them consistently. The study recommends tailoring age-appropriate HIV/AIDS prevention messages for the Straight Talk Club at Namboole High School, frequent sensitisation, implementing feedback platforms, and employing visual compared to text messages and print media during education.