Sexual experiences of married HIV positive women in Osogbo, southwest Nigeria: role of inappropriate status disclosure.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide heterosexual sex is the most common mode of HIV transmission, with the marital heterosexual route becoming a major contributor in sub-Sahara Africa. This study examined the role of inappropriate HIV status disclosure, after diagnosis, on marital sexual experiences of HIV positive women. METHODS: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. An interviewer administered questionnaire that elicited information about HIV status disclosure to partners, sexual experiences, condom use and parity was administered to 122 married women living with HIV/AIDS. Participants were referred from peripheral health centres to receive comprehensive HIV care at the State Specialist Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria. RESULTS: Mean age (SD) of respondents was 33.8 (8.9) years. Only 23.8% of partners had HIV screening, with 3.3% being HIV positive. A majority (62%) of respondents reported experiencing marital sex deprivation since their partners became aware of their HIV status. There was a reported rejection (74.3%) of condom use by partners during sexual intercourse. Fear of becoming infected (85.7%) and blaming the women for their positive status (85.7%) were the main reasons the respondents gave for being sexually deprived by their partners. CONCLUSION: Inappropriate status disclosure due to poor HIV counseling and testing (HCT) practices resulted in sexual deprivation of married HIV positive women. Adequate training and retraining of health care workers on HCT and HIV status disclosure will reduce experience of sexual deprivation among married HIV positive women.

Use of insecticide treated net and malaria preventive education: effect on malaria parasitemia among people living with AIDS in Nigeria, a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Malaria and HIV are major causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa with both diseases highly endemic in Nigeria. This study was conducted to assess the effect of long lasting insecticide treated net (ITN) use and malaria preventive education on burden of malaria parasite among people living with AIDS (PLWHA) at Osogbo southwestern Nigeria. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study of newly recruited consenting PLWHA that were screened consecutively for malaria, those positive were treated with artemisinin combination therapy. All PLWHA were educated about malaria infection, given ITN and followed up monthly for three months when they were rescreened for malaria infection. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULT: A total of 392 (92%) PLWHA completed the study. Mean age of the respondents was 33 ± 11.6 years. They were 120 (31%) males and 272 (69%) females. Majority (80%) were married, over 33% completed secondary education while 21% had tertiary education. Most were traders (40%) and artisans (25%). About 60% had Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasitemia at baseline which drastically reduced to 5% at three months with ITN use and malaria prevention education. CONCLUSION: Malaria is a major preventable condition among PLWHA. Preventive education and ITN use reduced malaria parasite burden among this population.