The Role of Media on Sexual Attitudes and Behaviour Among the Secondary School Adolescents of Kawempe Division, Kampala.

Abstract

The rate of exposure to media of all forms by adolescents all over the world is on the increase (Rich, 2005). Media often carry information on adolescent sexuality which can influence both the sexual attitudes and behaviours of secondary school students to which they are exposed. This study was carried out to assess the role of four forms of media (the radio, television, newspapers and the internet) on the sexual attitudes and behaviour of secondary school adolescents in Kawempe Division. The study had four specific objectives that is, to determine the type of sexual information in media secondary school adolescents of Kawempe Division are exposed to; to identify the most preferred form of media for sexual information by secondary school adolescents of Kawempe Division; to establish the influence of media on sexual attitudes of secondary school adolescents of Kawempe division; and lastly to assess the influence of media on sexual behaviours of secondary school adolescents of Kawempe Division.

The study adopted a cross sectional survey type of design, it was both descriptive and analytical. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected using a self administered questionnaire, key informant interviews and an observation checklist. Data collected using self-administered questionnaires from three hundred and ninety (n=390) students (respondents), was analysed using SPSS and findings presented according to the study objectives. It was found that the media has both positive and negative sexual information although the former was generally more predominant in most forms of media. Such information included abstinence messages, contraceptive use, family planning and pregnancy care. The study also found that adolescents in secondary schools of Kawempe Division prefer the radio (33.8%) to any other form of media for providing educative sexual information. Data analysis also indicated that of all forms of media, newspapers and TV influenced adolescents’ sexual attitudes the most; reading newspapers with sexual information was found to be significantly associated to the sexual attitudes of the students (X2= 5.86, P= 0.016). Further, those who read newspapers with educative/ positive sexual information were three times more likely to abstain from sex (OR= 2.75, C I [1.46–5.15], P=0.002), while those who watch televisions with educative sexual information were two times more likely to abstain from sex (OR=2.44, CI [1.33 – 4.50], P=0.004). This study concluded that the media generally contains more positive sexual information for school adolescents; the radio is by far the most preferred form of media for sexual information by adolescents in secondary schools; sexual information in media positively influences the sexual attitudes of secondary school adolescents in which students tend to engage in sexual activity due to such exposure while exposure to educative sexual information in media (especially TV and newspapers) is likely to influence the sexual behaviours of secondary school adolescents by causing them to abstain from sex. The study recommends that communication to adolescents in secondary schools about their sexuality be done through the radio since they (adolescents) prefer the radio to other forms of media for such information. Since adolescents tend to have a positive attitude towards sexual intercourse due to exposure to media with sexual information, media houses need to communicate information such as consequences of students’ involvement in sexual activity (like contracting HIV/STDs, unwanted pregnancies, school dropout among others). Further, it is hereby recommended that articles/ information on abstinence be included in newspapers and aired on television as these forms of media are more likely to influence adolescents’ sexual behaviours and encourage abstinence from sex by the students.