Prevention Of HIV And AIDS: A Baseline Gender Comparison Of Knowledge, Attitude And Confidence To Negotiate Safer Sex Among Tertiary Students Of The University Of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Thirty- three years into the HIV epidemic, studies have revealed that behaviour change It's the most effective measure against its transmissions; hence there is a need to build the capacity of young persons who are greatly affected by the pandemic, if we are to achieve a near zero level of HIV transmission.

Method: This study was part of a baseline survey of a quasi experimental design. A total of 260 University of Ibadan students from 4 of the 16 batches of student volunteers at the 16 Training Workshops (TWs) were involved in this baseline study. A semi-structured self-administered questionnaire at the beginning of each TW was used to assess respondents’ socio-demographic information, knowledge of HIV-AIDS, attitudes toward people living with HIV-AIDS (PLWHA), confidence to negotiate sex and willingness to practise abstinence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square at p<0.05.

Results: Of the 260 respondents, 51.5% were males and 48.5 % were female students. The age range of the respondents was 16 - 36 years and most (92.3%) lived on campus. There was no significant difference between the knowledge, interactions with PLWHA and dispositions towards abstinence between the 2 groups; however, there was a significant difference in sexual behaviour in the area of negotiating for safer sex in that 57.4% of the females do not feel confident to negotiate safer sexual behaviour (compared to 42.6% of the males), P=0.00.

Conclusions: Goth male and femate students were comparable on knowledge, attitude and benefits of abstinence in HIV-AIDS prevention strategies, bul the female students had lower confidence in negotiating for safer sex, Interventions ditecied towards capacity building of the female students ase required.