Digital Media, the English Language, and Development Communication in HIV/AIDS Control among Female Sex Workers in Calabar Municipal

Abstract

HIV/AIDS prevention among female sex workers (FSWs) remains a critical public health challenge in Nigeria. This paper examines the intersection of digital media, language use, and development communication strategies in HIV/AIDS prevention and control efforts targeting FSWs in Calabar Municipal, Cross River State. Drawing on the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory as its analytical framework, the study investigates how digital platforms mediate the dissemination of health information, sustain peer support networks, and facilitate access to HIV/AIDS services. Using qualitative internet ethnography, data were collected as selected excerpts of posts from two closed social media groups — a WhatsApp group and a Telegram group, each comprising fifty (50) enrolled FSW members — monitored over a defined period for evaluation of behaviour change communication (BCC) outcomes. The study finds that Nigerian Pidgin English, deployed through WhatsApp and Telegram, is particularly effective in transmitting health messages and eliciting responses that expose knowledge gaps, enabling targeted peer educator follow-up. The paper concludes that culturally sensitive, multilingual digital approaches are essential in designing effective BCC interventions for marginalized populations, and recommends that development project designs prioritize multilingual digital communication strategies and expand platform diversity to enhance reach and representativeness.