Conception of AIDS and its prevention among students in a Nigerian university

Understanding and responding to HIV/AIDS stigma and disclosure: an international challenge for mental health nurses

Stigma and discrimination are challenges in the care and treatment of persons with HIV infection worldwide. Fear of negative social consequences often causes persons with HIV/AIDS to keep their infection secret, resulting in negative psychological and physical outcomes and continued spread of the disease. Mental health nurses have a unique opportunity to influence the trajectory of HIV/AIDS though counseling and interventions that address HIV/AIDS stigma with clients, communities, and society. This article provides an in-depth examination of HIV/AIDS stigma and its relationship to nondisclosure as well as strategies to deal with these issues at individual and group levels.

Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about HIV/AIDS-related issues, and the sources of knowledge among health care professionals in southern Nigeria

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has become one of the most important public health problems in recent times and it is having a profound impact on the lives of infected people and their families. There is an acknowledged burden of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. As the prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection rises, health care professionals worldwide can expect greater clinical exposure to infected patients. The care of people living with AIDS presents a significant challenge to the health care sector. This study seeks to explore the relationship between sources of HIV/AIDS information and knowledge, and the relationship between knowledge of HIV/AIDS and care for people with AIDS among health care providers in three different levels of health care institutions in the southern region of Nigeria. Health care workers from two states in southern Nigeria completed a questionnaire that was designed to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices about HIV/AIDS. The sample was composed of 277 (65%) females and 135 (31.7%) males. The results showed a fair level of knowledge among all health care professionals, with the highest level of knowledge among the doctors and the lowest among laboratory workers. There was a significant gender difference in the level of knowledge but the data suggested that knowledge did not differ by hospital settings. There were generally negative feelings and views about the care of HIV/AIDS patients among the professionals, these views being worst at the community health centers and best at the government hospital. The greatest source of information for the majority of professionals was health talks/seminars, and those respondents who got their information from school scored the highest on the items on general knowledge of HIV/AIDS incidence, cause, transmission, and clinical treatment. This has important implications for future interventions designed for health care professionals including doctors, nurses and laboratory workers.

An assessment of factors contributing to treatment adherence and knowledge of TB transmission among patients on TB treatment

BACKGROUND

The treatment guidelines for tuberculosis treatment under Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) have been a common strategy for TB treatment in Zambia. The study was carried out in Ndola, Zambia, to investigate factors contributing to treatment non-adherence and knowledge of TB transmission among patients on TB treatment, in order to design a community-based intervention, that would promote compliance.

METHODS

A household-based survey was conducted in six randomly selected catchment areas of Ndola, where 400 out of 736 patients receiving TB treatment within the six months period, were recruited through the District's Health Management Board (DHMB) clinics. All patients were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire, consisting of i. Socio-demographic characteristics ii. Socio-economic factors iii. Knowledge about TB transmission and prevention iv. Patterns in health seeking behaviour and v. TB treatment practices at household level.

RESULTS

Most male TB patient respondents tended to be older and more educated than the female TB patient respondents. Overall, 29.8% of the patients stopped taking their medication. There were 39.1% of the females and 33.9% of the males, who reported that TB patients stopped taking their medication within the first 2 months of commencing treatment. Age, marital status and educational levels were not significantly associated with compliance. The major factors leading to non-compliance included patients beginning to feel better (45.1% and 38.6%), lack of knowledge on the benefits of completing a course (25.7%), running out of drugs at home (25.4%) and TB drugs too strong (20.1% and 20.2%). There was a significant difference [OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.23, 2.26] in TB knowledge, with more males than females reporting sharing of cups as a means for TB transmission, after adjusting for age, marital status and educational levels. Significantly [p = 0.016] more patients who had resided in the study for less than two years (59%) were more likely to report mother to child transmission of TB, compared to 41.2% of those who had been in the area for more than 2 years.

CONCLUSION

This study established that 29.8% of TB patients failed to comply with TB drug taking regimen once they started feeling better.

Who's at risk? Men's STD experience and condom use in southwest Nigeria

Many STD/HIV-prevention programs worldwide assume that individuals' risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection, is highest in the context of commercial sex. To address this assumption, research conducted in urban Southwest Nigeria combined qualitative and quantitative methods to examine men's sexual behavior, condom use, and STD experience in different types of sexual relationships (marital, casual, and commercial). Logistic regression analysis of survey data indicates that number of sexual partners and sex with sex workers are positively and significantly related to STD experience. Follow-up in-depth interviews with clients of sex workers indicate, however, that these men are actually more likely to report having contracted an STD from a casual sex partner than from a sex worker. Men are most uncertain about their vulnerability to STDs with casual partners. Men's condom use is highest in commercial sex, inconsistent in casual relationships, and lowest in marriage. STD/HIV-prevention programs need to address the range of sexual relationships and the meanings and behaviors associated with them.

Nigerian university students' knowledge, perceptions, and behaviours about HIV/AIDS: are these students at risk?

The purpose of the study was to determine the knowledge level of undergraduate students of a Nigerian university about HIV/AIDS, their perception of risk of contracting HIV/AIDS based on their sexual behaviour, and to assess how students acquire information about HIV/AIDS. The sample consisted of 380 students from five faculties of the university who volunteered to participate in the study. Participants completed a survey asking about their knowledge about transmission, symptomatology and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The survey included questions about their sexual orientation, past and present sexual practices as well as sources of information about HIV/AIDS. The results indicated that the students were knowledgeable about transmission and symptomatology but there were some misconceptions about the mode of transmission of HIV. Few students identified themselves to be at high risk even though majority of them (92%) were sexually experienced. The study also showed that even though these students are knowledgeable and concerned about contracting HIV/AIDS from their partners, this did not prevent them from engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse. It appears, however, that students are exercising caution when negotiating new sexual relationships, as they are likely to discuss (and insist on) using condoms and ask to have a monogamous relationship. Students obtained information about HIV/AIDS primarily from the media rather than from school classrooms and homes, which suggests a need to increase educational efforts at the university. Many students of this university may be at risk of becoming HIV-infected due to their age bracket, level of sexual activity and past/present sexual behaviors. University faculty can be actively involved in developing and implementing HIV/AIDS education and prevention strategies on their campuses. Health educators must go beyond providing accurate and gender-specific information about HIV/AIDS; they must also help students realistically assess their own risk of infection, and develop communication processes which enable them to negotiate safer sexual practices.

AIDS awareness and knowledge among Botswana women: implications for prevention programs

In-depth interviews with 56 urban women in Botswana revealed high levels of AIDS awareness and high reliance on mass media information. Many of the women expressed confusion about AIDS as an illness, that is, its symptoms and the latent period. Nearly all of the women were aware that the virus that leads to AIDS is sexually transmitted and believed that condoms are effective for prevention. However, one third had incorrect knowledge about transmission, lacking a full understanding of sexual transmission and believing that transmission can occur through casual contact. Two thirds believed they were at risk for getting AIDS, usually because they did not trust their partners and lacked control over their partners' behaviors. More than half of the women said they had changed their behaviours to prevent AIDS. Thirty-six said they had only one partner, but only 11 said they used condoms or would do so with a future partner. The women's responses provide important information on gaps in AIDS knowledge that need to be addressed in AIDS prevention.

Stigmatization, scapegoating and discrimination in sexually transmitted diseases: overcoming 'them' and 'us'

It is recognized that AIDS involves multiple epidemics. As well as an epidemic of HIV, we are experiencing epidemics of fear and of stigmatization, scapegoating and discrimination associated with AIDS. In this paper, we investigate the nature of these reactions and the links between them. In doing so, we identify some of their causes. We likewise investigate counter-reactions, pre-eminent among which is the promotion of concepts of respect for persons and for human rights. We also examine the 'tools' used to elicit and manifest both these reactions and counter-reactions. In all cases, these 'tools' include choice of language--especially in the form of metaphor and rhetoric--and the use of symbolism. We conclude that in order to deal humanely and compassionately with AIDS and persons with AIDS, and, ultimately, to protect society (including, the fundamental principles and rules on which it is based), a primary requirement is to recognize that we are all living with AIDS, whether infected or affected by it; that is, in the context of AIDS, it is imperative that we overcome any divisions into 'them' and 'us'.

Fears of AIDS in Nigerian students: dimensions of the fear of AIDS Scale (FAIDSS) in west Africa

A study based on a sample of 2500 individuals aged 18 years and over in six west African cities was undertaken for the purpose of determining the cross-cultural consistency and replicability of fears about AIDS. A factor analysis of the data obtained confirmed a similar factor structure to that reported in Australia. Implications for the prevention of HIV transmission in Nigeria and other west African countries is discussed. Our findings showed that the fear of AIDS Scale (FAIDSS) is a reliable index of fear of aids and is readily scaleable. Other implications for health education are considered.