Abstract

Youths constitute a vibrant, critical resource input in the development process of any nation. It is, therefore, imperative that their health and well-being be safeguarded in the pursuit and sustenance of the socio-economic transformation of any society. With the unabated high prevalence of HIV and AIDS among this age cohort, communication campaigns must be re-strategized, diversified and focused on effecting change in the behaviours that predispose young people to HIV infection. Providing youths with requisite information through social media has the potential of stemming the scourge of the virus. The paper critically examines the use of social media as a potentially veritable tool for campaigns aimed at combating the spread of HIV among Nigerian youths.

Key Words: Social media, Youths, Campaign, HIV/AIDS.

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 7, No. 1, April 2015, 219 – 232 

©Delmas Communications Ltd.

About the authors

*Dr. Ngozi Joy Onyechi, Ph.D. is a lecturer in the Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

**Dr. Koblowe Obono, Ph.D. is a lecturer in the Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Full Article

Words: 6,090; Pages: 14