Charles I. Tobin-West
University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Title: Determinants of HIV transmission and sexual risk practices among women of childbearing age in semi-urban communities of Rivers State, Nigeria
Biography
Biography: Charles I. Tobin-West
Abstract
Sexual risk behaviors are among the key drivers of the HIV epidemic in Nigeria, where heterosexual transmission accounts for 80-95% of all infections.Women are disproportionately affected, with infection rates two to three times higher compared with men, and also accounting for 31% of all new infections.This study was aimed at identifying the determinants of HIV transmission and sexual risk practices among women in order to address their peculiar intervention needs and to minimize the mother-to-child transmission of the virus. Data was generated from 769 women of child bearing age in semi-urban communities of River State, Nigeria in November 2013. Data was analyzed in SPSS version 20 with p<0.05 considered significant. Majority (85.6%) of the women were sexually exposed, with a third,(37.2%) engaged in sexual risk practices which included early sexual debut (< 15 years) (16.7%), multiple sexual relationships (12.9%), use of alcohol (29.6%) and or illicit drugs (5.9%) before sex and occasional or inconsistent condom use (22.4%). Logistic regressionanalysisshowed that women with poor knowledge of HIV were more prone to sexual risks. Also, younger women (15-24 years) were 2.2 times more likely to engage in sexual risk practices than older women (25-49 years), [O.R (95% C.I) = 1.571 (1.106-2.231)], p=0.012,and thesingles2.5 times more at risk than married, [O.R (95% C.I) = 1.714 (1.190-2.469)], p=0.004. There is need to focus on peer education and curriculum-based sexuality education in schools in order to improve knowledge about HIV among women of childbearing age.