EFFECTS OF HEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION PROGRAMME ON AWARENESS OF PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENT STUDENTS IN KADUNA STATE

This study examined the effects of health education intervention programmes on awareness of preventive strategies against sexual violence among female adolescent students in Kaduna State. The study employed a Quasi-experimental research design. The population of the study comprised adolescent female students in Sabon Gari local government in Kaduna State which are 19,369. A multi-stage sampling technique comprising stratified, purposive, simple random convenient and proportionate sampling techniques was used in selecting 200 female adolescent students in public secondary schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The instrument was validated by 5 experts. Pilot testing was carried out among 20 respondents and a reliability index of 0.655 was obtained. Two hundred (200) copies of the researcher-developed questionnaire were distributed using a convenient sampling technique, of which a 200 or 100% response rate was recorded and the data analysed. Data collected was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) IBM version 26. Mean and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions. Inferential statistics of independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test were used to test the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The findings of the study revealed that there is no significant difference in awareness of preventive strategies against sexual violence among female adolescent students in public secondary schools in Control and experimental groups in Sabon Gari Kaduna State, Nigeria before intervention with health education programme (p = 0.315). Also, there is a significant difference in awareness of preventive strategies against sexual violence among female adolescent students in experimental public secondary schools in Sabon Gari Kaduna State, Nigeria after exposure to a health education intervention programme (p = 0.000). In conclusion, the study showed that female adolescent students in public secondary schools in Sabon Gari, Kaduna State, Nigeria, were not aware of preventive strategies against sexual violence before but became aware after exposure to health education intervention. It was therefore recommended that health educators in collaboration with the Ministry of Education should carry out an awareness campaign on the prevention of sexual violence targeted at school-aged children to sensitize adolescents on sexual violence preventive strategies. Also, health educators in collaboration with media houses through jingles, playlets and drama could incorporate sexual violence prevention messaging to help educate teens on actions to take when they get harassed or abused in any form. This would help in improving the prevention of sexual violence cases.