A nurse-led sexual and reproductive health intervention significantly improved SRH knowledge and attitudes among adolescents living with HIV in Nigeria, supporting integration of such programs into adolescent HIV care.
Baseline assessments showed no significant difference in SRH knowledge and attitudes between intervention and control groups prior to the intervention.
The nurse-led SRH intervention produced a significant improvement in SRH knowledge and attitudes in the intervention group compared to the control group.
Participants in the intervention group showed increased comfort discussing sexual and reproductive health topics with nurses after the intervention.
Intervention group participants demonstrated greater willingness to disclose their HIV status following the intervention.
Adolescents in the intervention group showed a better understanding of the importance of STI testing after the intervention.
A randomized controlled trial design with 47 completing participants was used to evaluate the nurse-led SRH program among adolescents living with HIV in Nigeria.
This research suggests that a structured, nurse-led program focusing on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) can meaningfully improve what young people living with HIV in Nigeria know and how they feel about their sexual health. The program involved four interactive sessions covering topics like hygiene, contraception, STI prevention, and risky behaviors. Compared to adolescents who did not receive the sessions, those who did showed significantly better SRH knowledge and attitudes by the end of the study. Beyond general knowledge, the program also appeared to have practical social and behavioral benefits. Adolescents who participated reported feeling more comfortable talking to nurses about sexual health topics, were more willing to disclose their HIV status to others, and had a stronger understanding of why STI testing matters. These are important outcomes because open communication with healthcare providers and willingness to disclose HIV status can play key roles in ongoing care and preventing transmission. This research suggests that integrating nurse-led SRH education directly into HIV care settings for adolescents could be an effective strategy for improving health outcomes in this population. The findings are notable given that adolescents living with HIV face unique challenges around sexual health, stigma, and disclosure, yet are often underserved by existing health education programs. The relatively small sample size of 47 participants means larger studies would be needed to confirm and generalize these results.
Christopher G, Ozturk C. (2025). Integrating a Nurse-Led Sexual and Reproductive Health Program Among Adolescents Living With HIV in Nigeria: Randomized Controlled Trial.. AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education. https://doi.org/10.1521/aeap.2025.37.3.218