Young adults’ perceptions of the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns as an instrument for reducing risk-bearing sexual behaviour

Abstract

This study explored young adults’ perceptions with regard to the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns in reducing risky sexual behaviours among young people. Since these campaigns mainly target young people, it was essential to understand their own views regarding the subject matter. A phenomenological approach was adopted as a theoretical framework guiding this study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with eight participants between the ages 25 and 30. All the participants were residents of the Wesselton Township in Ermelo, Mpumalanga province. Data was analysed following the four steps of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes, namely: comprehension of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, effectiveness of HIV/AIDS campaigns, perceptions of factors contributing to risky sexual behaviour, and positive and negative elements of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, emanated from the transcripts. These themes are illustrated and supported by extracts from the raw data. Findings suggested that HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns are effective on the participants and somewhat effective to other young people in Wesselton. Although HIV/AIDS campaigns were regarded as comprehensive because they convey simple and unambiguous HIV/AIDS messages, the participants reckoned that nothing could be done to modify young people’s sexual behaviour as human beings are ignorant by nature. The participants believe that young people have all the valuable information regarding HIV/AIDS. However, their cynical attitudes towards HIV/AIDS campaigns and the identified factors such as poor socio-economic factors, alcohol and drug abuse, peer pressure, and the love of money and material things remain a barrier towards behavioural change. These findings indicate that young people desire intimate HIV/AIDS campaigns. Furthermore, a gap was identified between the HIV/AIDS practitioners’ objectives to use various media channels to reach young people and what is accessible to young people. Hence, this study suggests that HIV/AIDS campaigns should be integrated, customised, and targeted to a specific group to enhance their ability to reduce risky sexual behaviour. In conclusion, the findings contribute to greater theoretical understanding of the factors contributing to risky sexual behaviour and the factors that minimise the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns. These factors suggest a need for programmes with coping skills related to low socio-economic status and peer pressure. To maximise the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS campaigns, practitioners in the field of HIV/AIDS should, primarily, strive to change young people’s attitudes towards HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns.