How television shows can influence our behaviour
In Nigeria, researchers have been studying the influence of MTV Shuga, a TV show combining HIV/AIDS education with drama. The results included increased HIV testing, increased awareness and knowledge, and reduced stigma.
In Nigeria, edutainment (educational entertainment) shows have increased HIV awareness significantly. Researchers has delved into the impact of MTV Shuga — an engaging drama show featuring educational storylines on HIV/AIDS, and the findings are remarkable.
In the research, participants in 54 randomly selected communities watched the MTV Shuga television drama, whilst in 26 other randomly chosen communities, participants watched a “placebo” television series without educational content. The most notable results were:
Increased knowledge: among the youth who watched MTV Shuga, 39% were knowledgeable about the need for a second HIV test to confirm positive status, compared to 34% in the comparison group
Positive effects on HIV attitudes and reduced stigma: 53% of the youth who viewed MTV Shuga were willing to purchase goods from an HIV-positive shopkeeper, in contrast to 49% in the comparison group
Increased HIV testing: youth in the treatment group were nearly twice as likely to have visited local HIV centers for testing in the preceding six months compared to the youth in the comparison group
Notably, the impact of MTV Shuga also extended to a 55% reduction in the likelihood of women testing positive for chlamydia
This research underscores the power of "edutainment" and its pivotal role in changing deep-seated HIV attitudes and behaviors. The impact of this research has gone beyond Nigeria, supporting the launch of a broader programme on entertainment education at the World Bank Development Impact Evaluation unit taking place in Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, and India.
Photo credit: MTV Shuga