Internet-Based Technologies as Source of Sexual and Hiv/Aids Related Health Information Among Addis Ababa University Students
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Date
2009-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Internet-based sources are gaining recognition as a powerful and low cost
method to deliver health related intervention information. In AAU, there is an increasing
trend of network and internet services expansion to both students and staff, which greatly
fosters the access to any kind of information including sexually and HIV/AIDS related
heath information within the university. In order to plan for internet-based health
information intervention and allocate the resources efficiently in the university, assessment
of its level of availability, patterns and utilization is preliminarily required.
Methods: A Cross-sectional survey study method was used to determine the utilization
level among undergraduate students of AAU. Self-administered questionnaire was used to
collect quantitative data from 929 randomly selected eligible students. Moreover, in-depth
interview was conducted to 25 selected students to support the quantitative results. On site
observation was also used. Cross tabulation, Logistic regression and Chi Square tools were
used for quantitative analysis. And categorization and interpretation of interviewed data
were applied to support the quantitative data.
Results: Of the total 929 students selected, 86% (803) of them responded and 774 were
analyzed. Of the total respondents, 86% (666) of them had ever used internet recently at
least once, 39% (300) of them using it for general health information and only 22% (169)
of them used it to access sexual and HIV/AIDS related health information. However, only
5% of them used digital technologies like compact disk to access sexually related health
information. As their awareness, internet skill and access increased, so did their relative
odds of utilization of the technologies for sexual and HIV/AIDS information, which is also
significantly associated with their stream and interest to use the technologies.
Conclusion: Although the actual utilization of internet-based and digital sources for
sexual and an HIV/AIDS purpose is low, it can be a promising strategy to use it in
delivering such contents of information effectively and efficiently by expanding its access.
Moreover, most students are quite aware and interested to use it for accessing sexually and
HIV/AIDS related health information.
Keywords: Internet-based sources, Sexual health information, HIV/AIDS information
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Keywords
Internet-based sources, Sexual health information, HIV/AIDS information