Community attitude towards the reproductive rights and sexual life of people living with HIV/AIDS in Olorunda Local Government Area, Osogbo, Nigeria

Abstract

BackgroundGlobally, the Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic remains a major public health problem. In most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, HIV/AIDS has already reversed the post-independence developmental gains.PurposeThis study assessed community attitudes regarding the reproductive rights and sexual life of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria.Design and methodsIn a community-based descriptive cross-sectional study, the sample size calculation was based on the assumption that 67% of the target population has a negative attitude regarding the reproductive rights of PLWHA; a confidence interval (CI) of 95% was used. A minimum sample size of 340 was obtained using the formula n = Z2pq/d2. An anticipated 10% nonresponse rate was added to obtain a sample size of 374; a multistage sampling technique was utilized to select a total of 450 respondents. Data collected through a semistructured standardized and pretested questionnaire were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software, version 15.ResultsThe study revealed that 283 (66.6%) and 142 (33.4%) of respondents were urban and rural dwellers, respectively. Mean age of respondents was 28.7 years ± 2.2 years. Four hundred and two (94.6%) respondents were aware of HIV/AIDS, and 88.7% had knowledge of at least six different modes of HIV/AIDS transmission. About 30.7% of respondents had discriminatory and stigmatizing attitudes towards PLWHA, and 50.9% and 44.8% had negative attitudes towards their sexual and reproductive rights, respectively. There were significant associations between gender, marital status, educational status, occupation, and residential area of respondents and their attitude towards the reproductive and sexual right of PLWHA (P < 0.05).Conclusion and recommendationDiscriminatory and stigmatizing attitudes to PLWHA found among respondents translated into a negative attitude regarding the reproductive and sexual rights of PLWHA. There is an urgent need to institute programs for raising community awareness about the rights of PLWHA, especially in rural areas, and to strengthen legislative provisions for protecting and preserving the reproductive rights of PLWHA.

Assessment of HIV knowledge and awareness in adults of a slum area of Mumbai, India: a cross-sectional study

“…8 Every day new HIV infections are raising substantially in Asia-Pacific region than anywhere else in the world. 9 Southeast Asia stands second only to subSaharan Africa with more than 6 million positive cases.…”

“…9 Southeast Asia stands second only to subSaharan Africa with more than 6 million positive cases. 8 HIV in India has become a leading public health issue. 10 According to a recent UNAIDS release, there is a lack of evidence that the epidemic of HIV/AIDS is being curb in India.…”

“…10 According to a recent UNAIDS release, there is a lack of evidence that the epidemic of HIV/AIDS is being curb in India. 8 Serious epidemic surveys and studies are currently going on in several states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland and Manipur. 56% of STD clinic attendees in Manipur are found to be HIV positive.…”

“…11 In Mumbai, about 1% of pregnant females were also found to be HIV positive. 8 The main reason of spread of HIV infection is lack of awareness. Previous studies have shown low HIV knowledge and awareness among residents of slum areas in India.…”

Correlates of Suboptimal Entry Into Early Infant Diagnosis in Rural North Central Nigeria

“…2 Low uptake of EID may be due in part to low uptake of antenatal and postnatal care services by pregnant women, 11 lack of service availability at rural clinical sites, 12 as well as social and educational barriers that limit women’s ability to access these services. 13-15 Other contributory factors include: limited number of centralized laboratories with requisite capacity to perform DNA PCR testing, long turn-around times, stock-outs of reagents and consumables, and logistical challenges with getting results back to facilities/healthcare providers. One of the goals of Nigeria’s national PMTCT scale-up plan is to provide at least 90% of all HIV-exposed infants with access to EID services by 2015.…”