Authors : Abdulai Maxim Conjoh, Zongkui Zhou and Junmei Xiong
Abstract: This study investigated the socio-cultural factors affecting the spread of HIV/AIDS among adolescents in Sierra Leone. One hundred and twenty adolescents with a mean age of 16.20 years and 40 undergraduate (bachelor) students with a mean age of 25.10 years, participated in the study. The study used focus group discussions, key informant interviews and structured questionnaires to collect the data. The result indicates that adolescent social practices that expose them to HIV includes alcohol usage, video shows of pornographic contents, cultic practices, risky cosmetic factors, vulnerable sexual practices and blood swearing covenants. Culturally, practices such as rights of passage, not circumcising boys, contraceptive strings and early marriages were found to be making adolescents more susceptible to HIV. Findings highlight the importance of socio-cultural intervention in tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS particularly among adolescent.
Abdulai Maxim Conjoh, Zongkui Zhou and Junmei Xiong, 2011. Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting the Spread of HIV/AIDS among Adolescents in Sierra Leone. The Social Sciences, 6: 269-276.