Analytical Assessment of Health Communication Strategies for HIV/AIDS Reduction in South West Nigeria

HIV/AIDS communication strategies in South West Nigeria have evolved across multiple phases of the epidemic, yet systematic analytical assessment of the communication strategy components that have contributed most to declining prevalence rates in this region has not been conducted. This study analytically assessed health communication strategies for HIV/AIDS reduction in South West Nigeria, focusing on the period 2015 to 2023. A document analysis and expert interview methodology was employed, reviewing 45 campaign documents, evaluation reports, and strategy papers from national and international HIV/AIDS communication programmes operating in Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, and Osun States. Structured interviews were conducted with 20 public health communication specialists with direct HIV/AIDS programme experience in the region. Documents and interviews were analysed to identify dominant strategy types, communication channels, target audience approaches, and outcomes data where available. Results showed that interpersonal communication approaches delivered through community health workers consistently showed higher documented behaviour change outcomes than mass media campaigns in South West contexts. Entertainment-education strategies showed strong awareness outcomes but weaker documented behaviour change than direct counselling-based approaches. Stigma reduction communication was the most underfunded strategy relative to its identified importance by 80 percent of interviewed specialists. Evaluation quality was rated as inadequate for systematic learning in 62.2 percent of reviewed documents. The study provides analytical evidence supporting investment in interpersonal community-level communication and stigma reduction campaigns as priority HIV/AIDS communication strategies in South West Nigeria.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS communication, health campaigns, South West Nigeria, behaviour change communication, stigma reduction