HIV/Aids lifeskills capacities among young people in Dandora area

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is the greatest challenge worldwide and most pressmg public health problem. Many strategies have been employed to cub the spread of HIV/AIDS especially in Sub-Saharan countries where the epidemic has continued to kill many people including young people who have not been exempted and continue to be the worst hit despite being categorized as the widow of hope for both the current and future society. This study objectively focused on young people and sought to explore the HIV/AIDS life skills capacities among young people in Dandora area. The paper highlighted the various HIV/AIDS Life skills young people possessed in Dandora, the prevention techniques employed by the same and the consequent effect of these HIV/AIDS life skills capacities on sexual behavior necessary in HIV/AIDS prevention. The paper focused on a sample of 200 young people from Dandora area and employed both quantitative and qualitative techniques to gain data from respondents which were also analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings revealed that 55.5% of the respondents were female while 44.5% were male. Most of this respondents did not possess necessary HIV/AIDS life skills for HIV/AIDS prevention as only 39% had critical thinking life skills, 43% creative and organizational skills, 62.5% had decision making skills, 54% goal setting and accomplishment skills, 50.5% capacity to sustain relationship/friendship and 42.5% problem solving and conflict resolution skills. 62% of the respondents were sexually active while 67.7% used a precaution in their sexual encounter although 44.5% only considered themselves at risk. Their was a significant relationship between sex and HIV/AIDS life skills possessed by respondents which indicated that more male youths in Dandora area possessed the life skills than their female counterparts. There was no association between sexual activity and HIV/AIDS life skills as majority of respondents were sexually active. Majority of the respondents also possessed a fair knowledge and attitude towards HIV/AIDS issues although there study revealed a gap between the HIV/AIDS life skills possessed, sexual behavior and utilization of this knowledge and skills. Analysis of this finding will prove to be of value to institutions, organizations and governmental institutions that desire to create youth specific intervention programmes that have an impact on prevention of HIV infection among youths and the impact of the scourge in the society as whole.