DETERMINANT OF KNOWLEDGE OF HIV/AIDS TRANMISSION AMONG MEN IN NIGERIA

Olawole-Isaac, A¹*, Oni Gbolahan², Oladosun Muyiwa³, Akanbi Moses A.⁴, & Nwoko Chuwkugoziem P.⁵

¹Ms., Demography & Social Statistics Program, Department of Economics & Development Studies, Covenant University, Nigeria, adebanke.olawole-isaac@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

²Professor, Demography & Social Statistics Program, Department of Economics & Development Studies, Covenant University, Nigeria, gbolahan.oni@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

³Dr., Demography & Social Statistics Program, Department of Economics & Development Studies, Covenant University, Nigeria, muyiwa.oladosu@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

⁴Dr., Demography & Social Statistics Program, Department of Economics & Development Studies, Covenant University, Nigeria, moses.akanbi@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

⁵Mr., Demography & Social Statistics Program, Department of Economics & Development Studies, Covenant University, Nigeria, chuwkugodiem.stu.edu.ng

*Corresponding author

 

Abstract

Introduction: Over the past twenty-five years after HIV/AIDS was diagnosed and it has become one of the most devastating diseases faced by humanity. On an average, 14,000 men, women and children daily, and is considered to be one of the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa and the World’s fourth biggest killer. Nigeria records the second largest human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) endemic in the world (National Agency for the Control of AIDS 2015). Although in Nigeria HIV prevalence among adults is extremely small (3.1%) compared to other sub-Saharan African countries such as South Africa (19.2%) and Zambia (12.9%), with the size of Nigeria's population, it continues to bear a disproportionate share of 3.5 million people were living with HIV (United Nations Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome 2015). The spread of the epidemic have pointed to a variety of socioeconomic factors which consist of the aggravation economic situation and universal breakdown in the social and health care system. Nigeria continues to bear a disproportionate share of the global HIV burden. In mid-2015 about 3.2 million of all people were living with HIV resided in Nigeria, putting Nigeria as the second largest HIV epidemic in the world. The lack of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns admits several socio-economic factors had been indicated. The relationship between these determinants and men’s knowledge of HIV/AIDs transmission in Nigeria needs in-depth evaluation.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of men’s socio-demographic factors influencing the knowledge of HIV/Aids transmission among men in south-west Nigeria and with the aim of providing relevant recommendations that can improve knowledge of HIV/Aids among men in Nigeria.

Methods: The study focused on the determinants of knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission among sexually active men in South-West Nigeria. Out of the total men interviewed the study used a total of 2,615 representing men between age (15-44) in southwest Nigeria. The study employed the most recent Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey men recode dataset. The dependent variable in this analysis is Knowledge of HIV/AIDS. It is a dichotomous variable (Yes = 1 and No = 0). The independent variables are background variables (age, level of education, number of living children, occupation, religion, place of residence, region, wealth index, and type of union). All the variables used were as classified in the NDHS, except for wealth index and occupation variables which were reduced to three categories in this study: wealth index (poor status, middle and rich status); Occupation (civil servant, self-employed and not working). Data were analysed using STATA 13 data analysis computer software and the data was weighted using appropriate weighting factor.

Result: The univariate analysis showed the frequency distribution of the variables. The bivariate analysis shows the cross tabulation and the empirical relationship between variables while the multivariate analysis shows the determinant of knowledge of HIV/AIDs using logistic regression. At bivariate level, the result shows that all the variables (age, education, religion, state of origin, place of residence, frequency of listening to radio, frequency of listening to television, wealth index and occupation) except type of union have a significant relationship with knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission among men in south-west Nigeria. Hence there is a significant relationship at P-value < 0.001s. The result at multivariate level using binary logistic regression further shows that men living in urban areas are 4 times more likely to have knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission than those in the rural areas (AOR=4.23, 95% CI:3.17-4.72) and this is significant at p=0.000. In addition the result shows a positive significant relationship between Men’s educational attainment and knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission. Men with secondary are 9 times more likely to be Knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS transmission (AOR = 9.1 95% CI: 2.51-33.16) and those with higher education are 4 times more likely to have a good knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission (AOR = 4.1, 95% CI: 0.90 – 19.16) when compared with those with primary or no education. The result also shows that men who are rich are 61 times more likely to knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS transmission than other categories (AOR = 61.2 95% CI: 3.02 – 1241.3). In addition the result shows that men that watch television or listening to radio are 2.17 and 4.15 more likely to have a better knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission (AOR = 2.17 95% CI: 0.58 – 8.90) (AOR = 4.15 95% CI: 1.47-11.69) respectively.

Conclusion: This study suggests that men’s socio-economic factors are important consideration in improving knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission. This implies the need to improve the knowledge of men about HIV/AIDS transmission in South west Nigeria through actions and programs that will create more awareness by improving the standard of living through poverty reduction, improve the availability of basic socio amenities (electricity) that could help people to listen to educative programs on radio and television. Also, community intervention programs should be done at grass root for those living in the rural areas on how HIV/AIDS can be transmitted for better understanding of how the disease can be transmitted and how it cannot be transmitted in the studied population and Nigeria as a whole.

Keywords: knowledge, transmission, socio-demographic, South-west, HIV/AIDS, Nigeria