Influence of Television on sexual behavior: The case of Nairobi youth

Abstract

Sexual initiation is an important social and health issue in Kenya. The preposition in this study was that portrayals of sex on entertainment Television (TV) in Kenya may contribute to precocious adolescent sex. This study sought to investigate TV influence on the sexual knowledge, attitude and behaviour of adolescents by addressing the following four fundamental concerns, (1) how television determines/influences sexual behaviour of youth in Kenya, (2) the specific ways in which this influence is presented (3) the extent to which TV viewing may detenninelinfluence the sexual behaviour of youth, and (4) the potential dangers associated with exposure to sexual content on TV. A survey of 200 adolescents, both male and female aged 12 to 18 years of age was conducted to measures factors known to be associated with adolescent sexual initiation in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants reported their TV viewing habits and sexual experience, and this data was combined with the results of a scientific analysis of TV sexual content to derive measures of exposure to sexual content, and depictions of sexual behaviours The findings indicate that indeed there are TV programmes being aired, and that are viewed by youths that have depictions of sexual content, and which could influence the young people. The conclusions drawn from this study were that watching sex on TV may predict and/or hasten adolescent sexual initiation. Reducing the amount of sexual content in entertainment programming, reducing adolescent exposure to this content, and/or increasing references to and depictions of possible negative consequences of sexual activity could appreciably delay the initiation of early sex debut. Alternatively, parents may be able to reduce the effects of sexual content by watching TV with their teenage children and discussing their own beliefs about sex and the behaviours portrayed.