Perception of HIV/AIDS victims and contraceptives use in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria.
Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. E10174)
Osinubi TS University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
In Nigeria, some people still do not believe there is HIV/AIDS, hence its denial is widespread. The reasons being that they have not seen an HIV/AIDS victim before or that they view the danger posed by HIV/AIDS with fatalism, arguing that one will eventually "die of something", and so are not prepared to change their sexual behavior simply because of threat of HIV/AIDS. Considering the danger posed by the spread of HIV virus on the population in general and the labour force in particular it becomes imperative to examine the people's perception of the HIV/AIDS victim. The study was carried out in Ibadan, Southwestern, Nigeria. Ibadan is one of the largest cities in sub-Saharan Africa. Cluster sampling was used in selecting those that do not have HIV/AIDS victims in their homes while Judgment sampling technique was used in selecting those with HIV/AIDS victims in their families. Emphasis was on those with HIV/AIDS victims in their families or who has once had HIV/AIDS victims in their families. The findings show that most of the respondents do not believe in the existence of the HIV virus or AIDS. Most of them do not have adequate knowledge on how the virus is contracted, spread and how to avoid it. Most of them believed that the AIDS or HIV virus can only be contracted through social contact like eating, conversing and associating with an AIDS patient. This belief has an adverse impact on the social relations in families with AIDS victims. Total isolation of HIV virus/AIDS victims was the major strategy offered by many people (respondents) as a way of not being infected by the virus. Unfortunately, many of the respondents who have adequate awareness on the transmission mode of the virus and how not to contact it still insist that because of the social shame and disgrace, they will not associate with victims of the virus. As such, awareness program should be intensified.
Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, Africa South of the Sahara, Virus Diseases, Perception, Sexual Behavior, Nigeria, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Knowledge, Demography, Counseling, Population, Data Collection, Humans
