Sexual beliefs, attitudes and knowledge of adolescent youths in Ibadan concerning AIDS.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of Ibadan secondary school students who took part in an open and voluntary family life education programme in 1990. Of the 306 estimated youth attendants of at least 1 day of the 4-day programme, 266 filled the registration form and questionnaire well enough to be used in this analysis. While 277 (85.3%) of the youths had heard about AIDS, only 18 (6.8%) could name the disease agent, and 190 (71.4%) could identify sexual intercourse as the principal route of transmitting the infection. The electronic media (radio and TV) were the commonest routes from which knowledge about AIDS was acquired (in 109 or 41% of the youths). 116 (43.6%) of the youths believe that chastity is the surest means of controlling the AIDS epidemic and 152 (57.1%) actually plan to practice chastity. However, 38 (14.3%) consider AIDS control through the promotion of chastity as unrealistic. While none of the youths claim to be homosexual, 5 (1.9%) claim to feel sexually excitable or attracted by both sexes, at least sometimes. These findings are discussed in relation with the control of the AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases pandemic; as well as with adolescent education in family life in general.