Decades of persistent ignorance towards sustainable dissemination of HIV/AIDS information among rural women in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose

This paper focuses on the methods for achieving effective and sustainable HIV/AIDS information dissemination to the rural women in Imo State, Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

A discursive paper with an argument based on reliable sources from the literature.

Findings

The paper argues that the various channels already used to disseminate HIV/AIDS information to the rural women, such as the establishment of the National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), the organisation of conferences and talks, and the use of mass media, may not be achieving the desired results in view of the fact that in spite of all the campaigns, the rates of infection continue upwards.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of the paper is practical rather than research‐oriented, but if new methods were adopted, further research would be needed to see if these methods were indeed effective.

Practical implications

This paper identifies better practical methods for disseminating AIDS information, advocating the use of institutional frameworks, community inter‐groups, community information centres, information repackaging and the adoption of vernacular as the language of communication as effective and sustainable methods of disseminating HIV/AIDS information to rural women.

Originality/value

If adopted, the new methods outlined in this paper will encourage innovatory and more effective ways of improving information flow thus improving public health.

Citation

Uhegbu, A.N. and Okereke, C.I. (2006), "Decades of persistent ignorance towards sustainable dissemination of HIV/AIDS information among rural women in Imo State, Nigeria", Library Review, Vol. 55 No. 1, pp. 35-44. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530610641772