Thesis Abstract

This study is aimed to ascertain the impact of mass media campaign aimed curbing the spread of the diseases AIDS among teenagers in Enugu state. The objective of the study is also to find out through survey method whether the teenager are really getting sufficient information about AIDS blue so as to enable them inform their opinion about the diseases. The study took account of the sex, marital status, occupational variables that were of relevance to the study. The researcher use survey method with questionnaire, interview as the test instrument so as get al the responses needed in this study. This no doubt, helped on collecting information as to the way people generally perceived the disease Aids its were to Nigeria since the mid 1980s.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background of the Study

The media has been established to provide for their audience, information on varieties of issues. By emphasizing certain topic stressing particular interpretation and projects specific themes the media creates some distorted impression with their “ definition” portraying reflection of the real society ie if sexual promiscuity is regularly portrayed as widely practices and accepted in this sense, the viewers may accept such definition as normative in the society because of media definition when somebody defines his/ her own over behavior in such a situation norms internalized from media sources may guide his conduct.

Simple   by their   presence, the mass   media   have altered the nature   of  social communication   norm large audience   have been created that   expect the media to provide political   commentary and other message. People   depend on the   media for various forms of gratification based upon contend. If denied such communication, they feel deprived.

Benelson, (2000). Even in relatively underdeveloped   societies, population   quickly develops. Societies habit   once mass communication become available to them   in the way they understand. People become   aware of events outside their   immediate experience.

People according to Walter lippman (2003) act upon basis of the pictures in our head rather than the reality of the   world   outside.

We have learned through research that the images and words the   media carry, television, radio and newspapers determines within the   limitation posed by intervening factors, open by people and  their actions.

It is believed that in the imperfect   world, there   is no single antidote to human ills but public state is   often   a vital step finding that cure for   many social ills. In this line therefore, it is believed   that extensive impact of media and true information on the AIDS   campaign will be read and   perhaps touch on the sexual habit of people. When a disease is sexual transmitted, the publicity effort to eradicate it is fortified. AIDS is the worst   disease to hit human race since the black plague of  the 114th century.   Already, 25 million unsuspected people have caught this disease and do not know it, and might not know it for years. (Van Impe: 1989: 1)

Historical Aspect of AIDS

The devastating disease “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) came into word limelight in 1981 when Dr. Michael Goltiels of the University of Califonia noted an unusual disease paemocystics Cabini Pnemnia, in four patients that were homosexual and all below 40 years age (Njoku Obi 1989).

It is not yet known where AIDS actually started. It was a disgrace to the scientific community that the emergence of AIDS brought with a lot of buck passing as regards to the origin of the disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) explained it to be a virus of undermined geographic origin”. The first case of AIDS were identified in the US and was first recognized in Uganda in 1982. The virus disease AIDS is a relatively new arrived in Nigeria at least compared to many other countries. According to WHO Global 1988 AIDS / incidence inventory, the number of reported case of AIDS was in Nigeria than other countries of the world.

The African concord magazine who have developed full below AIDS in Nigeria as approximately 8,000 men and women, many of would have died . in the same issue, Dr. Olukove Ransome Kiti, then the minister of health, is quote as saying. Even if we are able to prevent further transmission of the virus, we will expect about 69,000 adult and 39,000 pediatric AIDS case between 1991 and 1999. The rate of spread varies from country to country.

AIDS case firstly was reports in 1984 in Niarobi, Kenya. Apparently, AIDS came from monkeys in Africa. It was a species barriers from animal to humans. This virus has grave on human beings rather than in the moneys that have it.Medical experts believe that the green monkeys of African passed their centivinis to human through bitig and beatiality. Shocking have committed such acts with animals (Vanlmpe 1987:29).

Next infected men engaged other men in sexual acts, and the virus spread like wide fire and no homosexuals international. Scores of such men even of their homes and filled their wives with he viruses.

Risk: A single exposure is suficial for a person to contact Aids.

Prognosis: Current statistic suggests that if a person becomes HIV positive there is a 60 percent chance of developing AIDS within 7years.

Distribution: AIDS is a world wide disease so terrifying and devastating. AIDS is seen equally in both men and women especially the prostitutes and their customers.

The spread is mainly heterosexual profit Njioku Obi (1989) noted Zaire, Bunindi, Pwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi as the African AIDS Belt”. However, Newyork, Los Angels and Sanfranciso have called the AIDS centers of the Western World.

Actilogy: AIDS is caused by a retrovirus, Retrovirus like other virus reproduce only in living cells of a host species.

Mode of Transmission

HIV has been isolated from Blood, Semen, Vaginal secretion and other body fluid including tears. However, transmission is through sexual relationship, blood transfusion and use of stinger incubation period.

Incubation Period

It takes on the average an interval of 29 months, 12months between exposure to the virus and manifestation of AIDS in adult and children respectively.

Scope of the Disease

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a sexually transmitted years has spread through the present lack of vaccine for prophylaxis, or drugs for one.

The AIDS virus infects cells in the brain and causes what is known as dementia, or brain disease.

People who have this suffer from impaired short term memory, mental confusion, personality, they may succumb to paranoia, some times psychoses, mutism (they become unable to speak) in continence they have loss of muscular contra and finally coma and death (Van Impe, 1987).

The World health organization (WHO) has taken the bull by the horn. It is in the media of world wide they attempt to control of the disease. AIDS which for appeared to be a disease affecting mainly the homosexually population has become a scourage affecting people of every race and life styles.

Global Situation

International new releases from countries of the world reported that; aids is spreading like wide fire, countries like Austrialia, America and Switzerland reports the severity of the disease. Millions dies from AIDS. There have been other plagues throughout history millions died because of Spanish influenza, bulbonic plague, and yellow fever, small pox, polio, multiple scterosis and cancer. However, sensible way of stopping the spread of AIDS is through dissemination of information and deliberate education, combined with personal changing life style, there has been public health measures take.

1The Nigeria situation

Up to the end of 2003, over 20million of Nigeria have proved positive for AIDS. The truth is that the disease is spreading fast. It is worthy to note that with the above figure. That about 150 people get infected per week in Nigeria. More than 15 million or 80percent are female while the remaining 20 percent are male. Beside, 15percent out of the 80percent are female children under the age of ten, while 8 out of the 20percent are male children under the age of ten years also.

Researcher prove that adult infected AIDS victims fall within the age range of 18-45 years which is the prime age of like.

1.2   Statement of the Research Problems

The role of mass media in a society cannot be over emphasized. It gives beyond the ordinary art and science of new gathering and dissemination to shaping opinions and attitude of people accurate analysis and interpretation of news event through their information education entertaining   and socializing function the mass media affect people attitude and behavior (Graham mitten 1983 32). The mass media set   agenda for public discussion by chronicling   news event within   the society. The mass media, no doubt, has   changed or   altered our   culture. New products, advertised   to millions via television , magazines, radio and   newspapers,   can achieve wife spread adoption almost overnight. The   rapid spread of other cultural   forms, such   as speech mannerism, fades ,of all kinds, and other   innovative preteens, can be trigged by the media.

Different   mass media are effective at different points in different ways. The mass mess only   crate   awareness while the   face to face communication bring about change. Both   are   complementary. But   eagle and others   observed that   when the   audience is   large, it   usually necessary to accept the inefficiencies of mass communication   (Eagle, 1970:29).

This implies   that the mass have shortcoming   which   to not   produce their effectiveness   no matter how   minimal at bringing   about social   change. Lazars   field and   Katz radio,   television   and   print   to opinion leaders and from them to the less   active sections of the population,   it therefore mass that   those who cannot be   reached by the three media   could   benefit from interpersonal flow   of information or the innovation (field and   katz 1955).

Macgurrie (1969), observed that   the measured impact of the   mass media   as regard persuasiveness   seems quite   slight. A   tremendous   among of   applied research has carried out to test the   effectiveness of the news   media   messages.   The out   come   which he said   been guide embarrassing for ,proponents of mass media.

In view of thus perceived short coming, it therefore, becomes very necessary to take a hoard   work at the role of the   mass media campaign against AIDS vis - a Vis their impact among the   teenagers in Enugu state. However, research is   a systematic search of   knowledge the media of wich a primary to find solution to existing problem determines the direction of the study. Therefore the problem this work aims at solving are

a.           To determine the major sources of information regarding to AIDS.

b.           To impact exposure to HIV/AIDS campaign on the sexual behavior of the people in Enugu metropolis.

1.3       Objective of the Study

The primary aim   of thus study is to examine the extent to which mass media campaign against AIDS has   affected and influenced attitude and behavioral change towards   sex. Influence here , will therefore, be   regarded as the ability of the campaign against Aids message   carried by   the mass media   to induce the teenagers to   change their   behaviours to sexual to     promiscuity and help them also know more about AIDS and suggested preventive measures.

The study is interested in the audience the teenager. Do their sex and age affected the way they perceived the message. Are they really getting the information (Exposure) has their level of education got some thing to do with their behavior and attitudes to sexual matter.

1.4       The Significance of the Study

It is envisaged that   the outcome of the study will help   to alert teenage population on the   dangers inherent in AIDS   and equally contribute to existing literature in the area of mass media impact.

Also the study will help   health ministry to determine   which of the mass media to employ in disseminating AIDS information.

Above all, it   is   hoped that   the   study will further equip mass media practitioners, communication n experts and researchers   to come up with a concrete and more futuristic approach to covering all manner of campaign without much to in Nigeria.

1.5   Research Questions

1.           Do people get most information about AIDS through the mass media?

2.           Does campaign against AIDS relate to the use of condom during social intercourse amongst teenagers?  

3.           Does exposure against   AIDS campaign discourage   teenagers from sexual promiscuity?

4.           Do teenager who are single expose themselves?

1.6 Research Hypotheses 

1.     Hi     Most respondent will get information about AIDS from the mass media more than other source.

  Ho: Most respondent will not get information about   AIDS from the through mass media more than other source .

2.           H2: Teenagers who are Exposure to campaign against AIDS are likely to use condom and abstain from sex than those who are not.

3.           Ho:   Teenagers who are to exposure to campaign against AIDS are likely to use condom and abstain from sex than those who are not.

3.     H3:   Teenagers who are expose to campaign against AIDS will tend to discourage from sexual promiscuity. ­

H0:   Teenagers who are not expose to campaign against AIDS will not be discourage from sexual promiscuity.

        H4:   Teenagers   who are not single will expose themselves to campaign against AIDS more than teenagers who are   married.

H0:   Teenagers   who are single will not expose themselves to campaign against AIDS more than teenagers who are   single.

1.7   Assumption

An assumption is a phenomenon or event that can be measured or manipulated and is used in the development of constructs. They are concepts that have been assigned values.

        Two set of assumption are identified in this research topic (a) Media impact as independent assumption (b) Sex as dependent variable.

1.9   Definition of Terms

The   conceptual and operational definition of terms in the study

 Operational Definitions