INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-MEDIATED ISSUES IN SEXUAL HEALTH AND HIV/AIDS EDUCATION

Abstract

Literature on the usefulness of IT-assisted HIV/AIDS interventions especially in the African setting is scarce. This leaves little to nothing known about the benefits of IT-assisted HIV interventions from the experience of Africa moreover where the HIV pandemic is widespread. This qualitative research explores in-depth the IT-mediated issues that influence the adoption of an IT-assisted sexual health and HIV/AIDS education intervention implemented in Uganda. It involves interviews with 33 participants including 30 intervention students, 02 intervention teachers and 01 head of the investigated school. Results indicate that such interventions can be sources of the otherwise denied sexuality information, are accessed irrespective of geographical boundaries, are sources of coping strategies for overcoming HIV risk behaviour, provide opportunities for tailoring the interventions to the varying needs of young people, are more interactive and engaging, and boosts teachers’ confidence in delivering intervention contents that they would otherwise feel embarrassed to deliver. Such benefits can provide vital benchmarks for designing, developing, implementing and evaluating IT-assisted sexuality and HIV/AIDS intervention.