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Perceptions of HIV/AIDS
World AIDS Day 2000
In an effort to continue measuring message
impact among youth in Nigeria, CFC decided to organise a film
show focusing on HIV-AIDS.
When one considers that 10 million African
men are living with HIV/AIDS, compared to 7.5 million men
in the rest of the world, and that in Nigeria, recent figures
published by UNAIDS show that 2.7 million people are living
with the disease, it is not difficult to understand why CFC
chose this focus.
In December 2000, CFC organized the 13th
World AIDS Day youth rally and film show at the Ayota Centre,
in Ajegunle, a very low income neighbourhood within the Lagos
metropolis. The films shown during the event focused on various
aspects of the AIDS epidemic, complemented by presentations
from AIDS experts from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital
(LUTH), and the Society for Family Health.
After the event, 111 young men and women (51%
under the age of 18 years) filled out questionnaires and the
findings were indeed surprising. The respondents attributed
their knowledge of AIDS to sex education in schools (23%)
and to the media (19%). Awareness of AIDS was surprisingly
high as 9 out of every 10 youths believed that AIDS is real.
After watching the films and talking with
AIDS experts, 70% of the audience expressed a commitment to
loving people living with AIDS, and 18% committed to being
friendlier to people living with AIDS. 83% of the youth felt
that sex education was an important means of protecting young
people against AIDS –re-enforcing the international AIDS
campaign focus on sex education world wide. 93% of
respondents said they enjoyed the World AIDS Day 2000 program.
At the end of the year 2000, during the Christmas/NewYear/Sallah
period, CFC worked with four of Nigeria’s largest bus transporters,
Chisco, Ekeson, Ifesinachi and ABC to show environment and
development films as part of the on-board entertainment. These
companies operate long-distance buses that cover the length
and breadth of the country. CFC showed a series of films
on each bus, and sampled opinions through questionnaires.
Out of a sample size of 297 respondents, 188 were male and
102 were female, with 68% being between 20-40 years old.
Again research results showed that awareness
of AIDS was high. 92% of respondents said that AIDS is real
and 58% confirmed they would change some aspect of their lifestyle
after watching the films. 84% said they would share the information
with family & friends, 29% said they would practice safe
sex with condoms, and 23% said they would abstain from casual
sex. 85% of respondents found the films informative and over
60% asked for more information.
The success of the World AIDS Day 2000 film
show was due to the entertaining, cutting edge audiovisual
materials provided by CFC, as well as to the excellent presentations
and interactive session with the AIDS partner organisations.
Research results compiled from questionnaires clearly showed
that message impact was high and that the audience decided
to make lifestyle changes based on the entire event
This audience research provides invaluable
information for both program design and development, and the
testing of message impact. CFC’s production team continues
to streamline messages to improve their language, content
and production standards, and complement as well as add value
to the knowledge base, interests and preferences of the audience.
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