SOCIAL NETWORKING AND HIV/AIDS ASSOCIATED RISK BEHAVIOUR AMONG STUDENTS IN SELECTED NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
SOCIAL NETWORKING AND HIV/AIDS ASSOCIATED RISK BEHAVIOUR AMONG STUDENTS IN SELECTED NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
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Date
2015-02
Authors
IFEKANDU, Chiedu Chike
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Abstract
The study ―Social Networking and HIV/AIDS Associated Risk Behaviour among Students
in selected Nigerian Universities‖ was carried out to explore how social networking is
associated with higher HIV prevalence and HIV-new infections among young people in
Nigeria. Social networking platforms have features/chat rooms for flirting, adult-hook ups
and sex chat. Young adults are constantly glued to these chat-rooms via the social
networking sites. These virtual spaces are now preferred by them for lewd conversations
which they are not comfortable to engage in physical spaces. Social networking sites
enhance their chances of meeting multiple casual partners depending on their sexual
preference and practices and in most cases; engage in unprotected sexual intercourse.
Moreover, pornographic images shared and accessed via the social media increase their
sexual desire and in their quest to quench their sexual desire, increases their HIV
vulnerability. The major objectives of this study are to: to assess the extent of the use of
social media by young people in the two selected universities in Northern Nigeria, examine
the link between social networking, young people and HIV-vulnerabilities, establish how
social networking impacts on Nigeria‘s efforts in getting to zero new-HIV infection and
explore how social networking can be effectively used to communicate health effectively to
young adults. The findings of this study imply that social networking is becoming part of
young people‘s everyday life and if not properly utilized could lead to risky behaviours
including HIV. The study recommends that: Universities and colleges should also encourage
students‘ (especially undergraduate students) positive usage of Social Network Sites by
creating study groups online on particular courses for students to engage in scholarly
discourse since majority of users on these platforms are youths. Further research into the
potentials of the usage of Social Network Sites should be encouraged as this will further
help determine the extent of its capabilities to bring about development through effective
communication and finally HIV/AIDS campaigns should be repackaged and taken to the
social networking sites to educate the youths and engage their attention.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE MASTER OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS
FACULTY OF ARTS
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA
Keywords
SOCIAL NETWORKING,, HIV/AIDS,, RISK BEHAVIOUR,, STUDENTS,, NIGERIAN ,, UNIVERSITIES.