Assessing attitudes and high-risk practices to HIV/AIDS infection among the people of Lake Chad basin, Borno State, Nigeria

A.J Onoja,S.B Mohammed,M Liman,J Njab,Y Ya'Aba

doi:10.4314/gjpas.v27i1.3

Abstract

A cross sectional quantitative survey that obtained information on high risk behaviours which expose individuals to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) especially HIV was carried out in Lake Chad Basin of Borno among 1,790 volunteers. A well-structured questionnaire was developed and used to collect the desired baseline sociodemographic characteristics by direct interview of respondents in their houses among the populations living in the ordinary households, the mobile population and vulnerable population group (VPG) not living in the households were interviewed in their places of abode with discretion. The mean age range of the participants was 32.5 years (SD + 2.21) ranging from 15 to 49 years. 1,234 (68.9%) of the respondents were males while 556 (31.1%) were females. The prison inmates had the highest prevalence of STIs, 37% of the respondents didn’t know that they were at risk of contracting HIV. The knowledge of HIV status was higher among the males (80.2%) than the females (19.3%). The use of male and female condom was higher among the rural (19.2%) than the urban (10.8%) respondents. This study revealed high risk practices among the respondents even though there is tremendous HIV test intake across both the general and vulnerable populations, there is need for more awareness as rate of risk perception is very low.

Highlights

Knowledge of attitudes and practices (KAP) studies are very useful tools prior to any intervention to assess the extent to which individuals or communities are ready to adopt risk-free behaviours
It is important to mention the internal migration of young men and women who came for trading, among them include commercial sex workers (CSWs)
On disaggregation by sex and age group, the study revealed that target group most represented among the male respondents, were transporters, while commercial sex workers were the most represented target group among the female population

Summary

Introduction

Knowledge of attitudes and practices (KAP) studies are very useful tools prior to any intervention to assess the extent to which individuals or communities are ready to adopt risk-free behaviours. There are different behavioural, theories which include AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM), Health Belief Model and Stages of Change They are important models for mitigating transmissible infections (Durojaiye, 2011), cognitive thought, and abstract imaginations influence our attitude towards sexuality (Giri et al, 2012). It is important to mention the internal migration of young men and women who came for trading, among them include commercial sex workers (CSWs) These young people are far away from their families for years at a time and very often visit CSWs for sex. This increases the possibility of spreading of sexually transmitted infections between them, and thereby to the general population.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion