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Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) - University of Port Harcourt
ISSN: 1119-8362
Vol. 9, Num. 1, 2005, pp. 11-13

Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Management, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2005, pp. 11-13

HIV/AIDS Awareness Study of Fresh Students in Tertiary Institutions in Rivers State of NigeriaDepartment of Nigeria

IBE, S.N.

Microbiology, University of Port-Harcourt, P. M. B. 5323, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria

Code Number: ja05002

ABSTRACT:

This study examined the knowledge, attitude and preventive practices (KAP) of 285 first year University of Port-Harcourt students regarding HIV/AIDS, in December 2002. Data was collected using structured questionnaires administered by two trained interviewers. Students had partial knowledge of the definition of HIV/AIDS, the mode of transmission, prevention and cure. Only 56.1% were concerned about contracting the virus although 70.2% had had sex, 57.0% had had sex without condom and 42.1% had had multiple sex partners. Similarly, 82.5% believed HIV/AIDS was in their institution but majority, 86.0%, had never tested for HIV. There is urgent need for more education, counseling and testing for HIV in order to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in tertiary institutions due to ignorance and risky behaviours. @JASEM

The national prevalence of the dreaded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for Nigeria was estimated to be 5.0% according to the Federal Ministry of Health in December 2003 (National HIV Survey, 2003). This is a decline, though not significant, from the prevalence of 5.8% reported in December 2001 (National HIV Survey, 2001). In Nigeria, as in other countries of the world, youths are the most vulnerable since they are the most sexually active and have been shown to have multiple sex partners and engage in unprotected sex without condoms (Harding et al., 1999; Okpani and Okpani, 2000; Meekers and Klein, 2002; Ogbimi and Agodi, 2003; Ibe and Ibe, 2003). The estimated prevalence of HIV among youths, ages 15-24 in Nigeria in December 1999 was between 4.4-5.9% for females and from 1.7-3.3% for males (UNAIDS, 2000) indicating that females were more easily infected than males. In Rivers State in 2001, HIV prevalence was 5.9% among youths, ages 15-19, 6.0% among ages 20-24 and 6.3% among ages 25-29. Port-Harcourt metropolis had a high prevalence of 7.0% and it is common to see female sex workers standing by street corners at night waiting to be picked up by potential clients. It has been opined that some of these females are university students. This pilot study was carried out in December 2002 just before students went on Christmas break and would be vulnerable to contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections during the festivities (Ogbulie et al., 2003). It was important to find out their knowledge, attitude and preventive practices against HIV/AIDS especially since the Federal Government of Nigeria and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) mounted aggressive campaigns in the media and posted HIV/AIDS warning on billboards in cities and highways in 2002, to make the citizenry aware of HIV/AIDS. With the AIDS epidemic raging on, this study was carried out to assess the need for introducing sex education course among the general studies courses for first year students in tertiary institutions to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred and eighty five students (140 males and 145 females) taking the general studies courses were randomly selected from 18 Departments of the University of Port-Harcourt in proportion to the sizes of the Departments. Data was obtained through the use of structured questionnaires administered by two trained interviewers, who registered participants using numbers and explained the confidentiality of the responses. Data was obtained on socio-demography, knowledge of HIV/AIDS including definitions, cure, beliefs, methods of transmission and prevention and sexual practices. Participants were interviewed on given dates suitable for them. Data analysis was carried out using Epi-info version 6 software.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The 285 first year participants consisted of 140 (49.1%) males and 145 (50.9%) females taking the general studies courses. They had an age range of 16 to 26 years (mean, 20.6 years), were mostly single (98.2%), and living in the hostels (57.9%). Majority, 96.5% were Christians and religiously- raised (71.9%), 40.0% were Pentecostals, 30.9% Catholics, 12.7% Anglicans and 16.4% other religious groups. Most students were religiously raised but some (22.8%) claimed not to be practicing. Results on sexual activities, showed that 70.2% had had sex, a value lower than 80% for adolescent girls of 17-19 years (Brabin et al., 1995) and mean age at first sex was 18 years. Risky practices recorded included ever having sex without condom (57.0%), having had multiple sex partners (42.1%) and use of condom at first sexual encounter (22.8%) although 56.1% claimed that first partners were same age. Some had multiple current partners with 3.5% having 4 to 6 current partners.

Results on knowledge of HIV/AIDS by students showed that only 22.8% could define HIV, 71.9% could define AIDS, 93.0% knew that HIV causes AIDS and 68.4% knew that youths constituted the age group most at risk. Most respondents, 82.5% believed that HIV/AIDS was in their school but only 56.1% were concerned about contracting the virus and 86.0% had never tested for HIV because they were in denial regarding the reality of contracting HIV (Najem and Okuzu, 1998; Harding et al., 1999). Testing is necessary because recently infected HIV-positive persons are highly infectious with high viral loads in blood and body fluids (Cates et al., 1997).

On respondents’ ideas on cure for AIDS, 52.6% knew there are drugs for HIV/AIDS but only 36.8% knew the drugs do not provide cure for AIDS. Some, 24.6%, believed there is a cure for AIDS while majority 57.9% knew there is no cure yet and 35.1% knew of no effective vaccine. A few, 15.1%, believed cure could be found in traditional medicine, 3.2% in miracles, 3.8% in western medicine and only 29.8% knew that mother to child transfer of the virus was preventable.

Table1 shows the various routes of transmission of the virus known to participants and Table 2 shows the responses for various preventive methods for HIV/AIDS. These observations show that the participants were well informed as regards routes of viral transmission except for mother to baby and blood transfusion routes, as was also reported by Odujirin and Akinkuade (1991) and they need to understand that abstinence and having one life partner are ways of preventing HIV infection since condoms may fail when they have multiple partners.

In conclusion, it is necessary to include sex education among the first year general studies courses to enlighten new students on issues on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and on the importance of HIV testing. HIV testing with pre and post- test counseling should be subsidized or made free for youths. Ensuring that youths are not infected is the greatest strategy for preventing the spread of HIV in tertiary institutions.

REFERENCES

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Cates, W; Chesney, M; Cohen, M (1997). Primary HIV infection. A public health opportunity. Amer. J. Pub. Health 87 (12):1928-1930.
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Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Geneva, UNAIDS, Jun. 2000. 135p.
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Okpani, AOU; Okpani, JU (2000). Sexual activity and contraceptive use among female adolescents- a report from Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. Afr. J. Reprod. Health 7 (2): 40-47.

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