Effect of Short-Film and Peer-Led Sexual and Reproductive Health Education on Knowledge, Perceptions and Self-Efficacy among Adolescents in Informal Urban Settlements of Lagos State, Nigeria: A Quasi-Experimental Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63950/gshh.2026.2.2.50Keywords:
Adolescents; Sexual and reproductive health; Peer-led education; Short-film intervention; Self-efficacy; Risky sexual behaviour; Nigeria; Quasi-experimental studyAbstract
Introduction: Adolescents in informal urban settlements face significant sexual and reproductive health challenges, including risky behaviours and limited access to information. Conventional SRH education often fails to engage them effectively. Short film and peer-led strategies may offer more effective alternatives.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study involved 60 adolescents aged 13–16 years from two informal communities in Lagos State, Nigeria, equally assigned to an experimental group (short film plus peer-led SRH education) or a control group (no intervention). The 10-week intervention included baseline, midline, and end-line assessments using a validated questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t tests, and two-way mixed ANOVA (α = 0.05).
Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups (n = 30 each). The intervention group showed significant improvements in SRH outcomes. Two-way mixed ANOVA revealed significant time–group interactions for knowledge (F = 19.68, p < .001), perception (F = 17.66, p < .001), and self-efficacy (F = 23.43, p < .001). ANCOVA confirmed higher post-intervention knowledge (F = 31.84, p < .001) and perception scores (F = 26.61, p < .001) in the intervention group. Risky sexual behaviour scores also decreased significantly more in the intervention group (time × group interaction: F(1,58) = 18.96, p < .001, partial η² = .25).
Conclusion: The combined short film and peer-led intervention significantly improved knowledge, perceptions, and self-efficacy among sexually active adolescents. These findings support multimedia and peer-led strategies as scalable approaches for improving adolescent SRH outcomes in informal urban settings, though causal inference is limited by the quasi-experimental design.
Downloads
References
1. Backes EP, Bonnie RJ. The promise of adolescence: Realizing opportunity for all youth. Washington (DC): National Academies Press; 2019.
2. Dir AL, Coskunpinar A, Cyders MA. A meta-analytic review of risky sexual behaviour. J Youth Adolesc. 2014;43:123–135.
3. Mardi A, Sharma S, Singh P. Early pregnancy risks. Matern Health J. 2018;22(3):456–463.
4. Howard LM, Khalifeh H, Perel P. Adolescent pregnancy and HIV risk in sub-Saharan Africa. Lancet HIV. 2021;8:e55–e66. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-3018(21)00002-3
5. Akalpler E, Eroglu K. Adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health. J Pediatr Nurs. 2015;30(2):210–215.
6. National Population Commission (NPC), ICF. Nigeria demographic and health survey 2018. Abuja (Nigeria): NPC and ICF; 2019.
7. Eze JN, Agu CF, Nwankwo BO. Sexual and reproductive health knowledge among adolescents in Nigeria. BMC Public Health. 2023;23:1021. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09470-z
8. Odo AN, Samuel ES, Nwagu EN. Sexual and reproductive health among Nigerian adolescents. BMC Public Health. 2022;22:988.
9. World Bank. Adolescent fertility rate data. Washington (DC): World Bank; 2023.
10. UNAIDS. Global HIV report. Geneva: UNAIDS; 2022.
11. Chandra-Mouli V, Svanemyr J, Amin A, et al. Twenty years after ICPD: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health. J Adolesc Health. 2015;56(1):S15–S30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.09.015
12. Glanz K, Rimer BK, Viswanath K. Health behavior: Theory, research, and practice. 5th ed. San Francisco (CA): Jossey-Bass; 2015.
13. Viner RM, Ozer EM, Denny S, et al. Adolescence and social determinants of health. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4:140–152.
14. Nwoko C, Okeke T, Obi S. Audio-visual education in adolescent health. Health Promot Int. 2022;37(3):daac045.
15. Cohen J. A power primer. Psychol Bull. 1992;112(1):155–159. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.112.1.155
16. Cohen J, Cohen P, West SG, Aiken LS. Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. 3rd ed. Mahwah (NJ): Lawrence Erlbaum; 2007.
17. Creswell JW, Creswell JD. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 5th ed. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage; 2018.
18. Akinyemi JO, Fatusi AO. Sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among adolescents in urban slums of Lagos State, Nigeria. Afr Popul Stud. 2020;34(2):5012–5024.
19. Bastien S, Kajula LJ, Muhwezi WW. A review of studies of parent–child communication about sexuality and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Reprod Health. 2011;8:25. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4755-8-25
20. Fatusi AO, Hindin MJ. Adolescents and youth in developing countries: Health and development issues in context. J Adolesc Health. 2010;45(2):101–110.
21. Bandura A. Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York (NY): W.H. Freeman; 1997.
22. Mmari K, Sabherwal S. A review of risk and protective factors for adolescent sexual and reproductive health in developing countries. J Adolesc Health. 2013;52(2):123–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.07.018
23. Izugbara CO, Undie CC, Mudege NN, Ezeh AC. Adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Nigeria: A synthesis of the evidence. Afr J Reprod Health. 2015;19(3):26–38.
24. Blum RW, Mmari K, Moreau C. It begins at 10: How gender expectations shape early adolescence around the world. J Adolesc Health. 2017;61(4 Suppl):S3–S4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.07.009
25. Abiodun O, Olu-Abiodun O, Faturoti A. Charting a New Course for Global South Health Research: Equity, Evidence, and Action. Global South Health Horizons. 2025 Jun 29;1(1):1-7. https://doi.org/10.63950/gshh.2025.1.1.8
26. Onigbanjo RO, Olu-Abiodun O. Attitudes and Awareness of Female Teenagers towards Sex Education in a Secondary School in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Global South Health Horizons. 2026 Feb 28;2(1):45-53. https://doi.org/10.63950/gshh.2026.2.1.47
Downloads
Published
Data Availability Statement
The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Oyakhilome VO, Dangana J, Ibor GO

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.