Interrogating the Underlying Barriers to HIV Non-Protective Behaviors’ Control among University Students: Towards an Effective Psycho-Educational Mitigation
Abstract
The study purposed to interrogate the underlying barriers to HIV non-protective behaviours’ control among university students, geared towards formulating an effective psycho-educational intervention for the same. The population was both male and female year three university students. The respondents were 12 for the focus group discussion and 15 for the in-depth interviews, selected purposively. Data analysis was done using thematic analysis. There was concurrent data analysis and discussion of findings. The findings revealed that university students continue to engage in HIV non-protective behaviours like lack of and inconsistent condom use, multiple sexual partners and low adherence to HIV messages and training due to factors associated with low socio-economic status, shame, lack of knowledge, flaws within the HIV messaging, to mention but a few. It is therefore concluded that HIV continues to soar among university students through non-protective conduct related to unsafe sex, multiple and concurrent sexual partners and low interest in and negative attitude towards uptake of HIV control messages. Hence, there is a need for a supply of condoms in socially safe spaces, education on condom use and the dangers of multiple sexual partners, economic empowerment, and most importantly, embracing an effective psycho-educational intervention that addresses the specific learning needs of university students about HIV and its control
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