CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS' KNOWLEDGE AND STATE OF PREPAREDNESS FOR ACQUIRED IMMUNE-DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS) PREVENTIVE EDUCATION PROMOTION IN IBADAN MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a condition which develops when the body's defenses are not working properly. As a result, people are more likely to get illnesses which the body would normally be able to fight off easily. It is one of the serious health crisis of modern times. AIDS is affecting an increasing number of people all over the world irrespective of their education, social strata or religion. It is not only a health problem but represents economic, social, moral and spiritual problems of great magnitude. More than one decade since its worldwide recognition. The nature of the problem keeps increasing. Considering the grave situation of the absence of effective treatment for AIDS, a multi-sectoral approach in educating the public on matters relating to the deadly disease needs to be adopted. The exploratory and descriptive survey was designed to examine the Christian religious leaders' knowledge, state of preparedness and current level of involvement in AIDS preventive education promotion

in lbadan municipality with a view to providing a baseline information upon which AIDS education programmes can be developed for churches. This study was carried out in half (50%) of the licensed churches in Ibadan municipality between January and February, 1992. A total of 306 Christian religious leaders were selected from 78 churches using

the multistage random sampling technique. Formal Interviews and reviews of church records were used to gather information about AlDS related activities in the churches and involvement of the leaders in AIDS preventive education. Findings showed that most of the respondents were males (69.3%), married (74.5%) and were above 40 years of age (61.5%). Most respondents (78.3%) had heard about AIDS from the mass media. About 79.4% felt that AIDS preventive education programmes should be organized in the churches while 80.7% desired formalized special training on AIDS prevention. However, only 37.8% had ever educated their congregations on AIDS especially through Sunday sermons and AIDS promotion posters/leaflets. Reasons given by many respondents for carrying out AIDS education activities in the churches Include "to enlighten church members about AIDS", "to use the gospel to change high rlsk behaviours", "to avoid deaths due to AIDS in the church" and "to keep members of the church holy and faithful". Based on these findings, the author recommends that formalized training on AIDS prevention and control should be designed and implemented for church leaders.