Pattern, challenges and correlates of condom use among Nigerians living with HIV infection

Consistent condom utilization among sexually active HIV positive individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis

This study aimed to ascertain the pooled prevalence and trend of consistent condom use in Sub-Saharan Africa, addressing the fragmented and inconsistent research on its role in preventing HIV transmission. In this meta-analysis, we systematically searched electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, ScienceDirect, Africa-Wide Information (via EBSCOhost), as well as clinical trial registries, and the search engine Google Scholar. All necessary data were extracted using a standardized data extraction format. The data were analyzed using STATA 17 statistical software. Heterogeneity among the studies was assessed using the I2 test. A random-effect model was computed to estimate the pooled rate of consistent condom utilization. This meta-analysis, which included thirty-three full-text studies, found a pooled prevalence of 44.66% (95% CI 18.49-70.83; I2 = 0.00%) for consistent condom use in Sub-Saharan Africa. While the prevalence fluctuated between 2007 and 2022, the year-to-year variations were not statistically significant. The current study identified low rates of consistent condom use, with utilization fluctuating annually in the study area. Therefore, uncovering the underlying reasons and addressing barriers to consistent condom use is crucial in the region.

Consistent condom use and associated factors among HIV positive women of reproductive age on anti-retroviral treatment in Ogun State, Nigeria

Introduction

consistent condom use remains an integral and essential part of comprehensive Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention and care programme. This study assessed consistent use of condom among HIV-positive women of reproductive age on antiretroviral treatment and its associated factors.

Methods

a cross-sectional survey of 360 women living with HIV (WLHIV) receiving treatment in four APIN Public Health Initiatives, Nigeria supported President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) comprehensive Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) sites in Ogun State was conducted from October 2018 to March 2019. Information were collected on consistent condom use among respondents and their associated factors using a pre-tested questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS IBM version, with statistical significance set at 0.05.

Results

the mean age of the women was 38.1 ± 5.8 years. About two-fifth (39.4%) of the respondents reported consistent use of condom. Of the 142 respondents who reported inconsistent use of condom, 51.6% and 37.5% mentioned sexual displeasure and partner's disagreement respectively as reasons for inconsistent use. Factors associated with consistent condom use were marital status (p < 0.001), respondent's occupation (p = 0.040), partner's occupation (p = 0.012) and partner's HIV status (p = 0.045). Respondents with HIV negative partners were 1.8 times more likely to use condom consistently compared to those with HIV positive partners (AOR = 1.826, CI = 1.018 - 3.274).

Conclusion

this study concludes that there is poor consistent condom use among WLHIV in Ogun State. The rate is worse among the sero-concordant partners than the sero-discordant partners. More needs to be done through behaviour change communication aimed at improving consistent condom use among HIV clients.

Communication needs for improved uptake of PrEP and HIVST services among key populations in Nigeria: a mixed-method study

Background

World Health Organization (WHO) reports that people who indulge in risky behaviours such as penile-anal sex, unprotected intercourse, multiple sex partners, and alcohol and illicit drugs are at risk of HIV/AIDS and classified as Key Populations (KPs). Since the introduction of PrEP and HIVST for the key population groups in Nigeria, government entities and implementing partners have used a range of channels in messaging these essential services across to the target groups—ranging from in-person, social media, television, and radio adverts. Yet, few successes have been documented, thereby necessitating the need to understand the enabling facilitators, barriers to, and communication needs of the KP groups in messaging PrEP and HIVST services in Nigeria. Communicating PrEP and HIVST services will empower the key populations to seek available HIV prevention services and help to increase access to HIV testing services in Nigeria.

Methods

This study was a mixed-method cross-sectional design; involving 1169 participants from the key populations in Nigeria. The study used a survey and qualitative exploratory methods (interviews and focus group discussion), to collect data from the participants—MSM, FSWs, and key influencers of the KP groups (health providers, peer educators, HIV program officers). In August 2020, data collection was conducted using an open data kit (ODK). Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 for descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed using deductive and thematic analysis based on the codebook.

Results

The KPs were mainly urban dwellers (77.7%), and the majority of the participants were between 18 to 28 years (89.3%). However, the MSM group was of a younger population compared to the FSWs. A majority completed secondary education (56.1% FSWs and 43.5% MSM). The MSM group showed more tendency to acquire higher education compared to the FSWs. For example, about 51.3% of the MSM group were undergraduates compared to 9.5% of the FSWs. The majority of the KPs were self-employed (56.4% FSWs and 40% MSM). Only about 51% of the KPs were aware of PrEP, with typological variations (39.9% FSWs and 62.3% MSM). MSM group in Lagos (82.5%) were more aware of PrEP services, than 53.1% and 54.5% in A/Ibom (53.1%) and C/River (54.5%). Among the enablers to acquiring PrEP information was the ability of the KPs to network within their communities and on personal relationships. Evidence shows that no single approach influenced the acquisition and use of PrEP information by KPs. Although this proportion varied across the geographic locations, only about 50% of the KPs were aware of HIVST services (40% FSWs and 60% MSM). The factors that enabled the acquisition and use of the prevention commodities were cross-cutting, including a previous or current role as a peer educator, integration of the messages, peer networking, multi-lingual and multi-channel presentation, job aids, and reminders. KPs expressed the need for information on how to take PrEP, eligibility, clarification on differences between PrEP and PEP, clarification on any side effects, for PrEP, price, efficacy, sales point, dosage, available brands. A scale-up of the research across all geopolitical zones and a survey to quantify the prevalence would help understand the dynamics and prioritization of interventions for scaling up PrEP and HIVST services in Nigeria.

Conclusions

The study documented barriers and facilitators to the uptake of PrEP and HIVST among key populations in Nigeria. It highlighted that KPs are willing to receive PrEP and HIVST messages. The policy actors should consider the preferences of the KPs and the key influencers in reducing barriers to communication and increasing the uptake of PrEP and HIVST services; ensure it reflects in a tailored communication strategy. Since multi-linguistics and multi-channels of presentation were enablers to acquiring PrEP and HIVST messages, the communications strategy for HIV prevention should incorporate these recommendations and adapt to context-specific approaches for effective messaging.

Unprotected sexual practices and associated factors among adult people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in public hospitals of Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Introduction

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) significantly increases the life expectancy of HIV positive people by improving quality of life as well as enabling them to resume sexual activity. A growing number of people living with HIV became a source of exposure to sexually transmitted infections, including other strains of HIV that place others at risk unless they consistently use condoms. This study assessed the magnitude of unprotected sexual practices and associated factors among adult people living with HIV on ART in public hospitals of the Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods

a facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adult people living with HIV on ART in public hospitals of the zone from March 1-30, 2016. Data were collected by a pretested and structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to investigate variables, independently associated with the outcome variable. The adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI used to show the strength of the association and a P-value < 0.05 was used to declare the cut-off point in determining the level of significance.

Results

the study revealed that 40.9% of respondents practiced unprotected sexual intercourse. On multivariate logistic regression analyses, being females, having more than one sexual partner, mean monthly income of <530 Ethiopian birrs/ month, those who had a seropositive partner, a partner of unknown serostatus, and respondents who had insufficient knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention were statically significant with the outcome variable.

Conclusion

the scarcity of knowledge on HIV transmission, negative attitude towards condom use, non-disclosure status and having more than one sexual partnership increased likelihood of have unprotected sex among the respondents.

The Magnitude and Associated Factors of Consistent Condom Utilization Among ART Users in Hawassa City, Sidama, Ethiopia

Background

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) introduction has sharply decreased mortality and morbidity rates among HIV-infected patients and resulted in longer and healthier lives among people living with HIV. Hence, the aim of this study is to determine the level of consistent condom use and associated factors among ART users in Hawassa City.

Methods

Cross-sectional study design triangulated with qualitative phenomenology was used. One hospital and one health center were selected by simple random sampling and proportional to size allocation was used to assign participants to each health facility. Accordingly, 358 study subjects were selected. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval was used to implicate significant factors. Thematic content analysis was used and narrative report writing with a quote was used to present qualitative data.

Results

The prevalence of consistent condom utilization in this study was 51.4%. Sex (AOR= 4.20, 95% CI: 2.386, 7.41), residence (AOR=3.55, 95% CI: 1.81, 6.99) educational status (AOR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.196, 0.946), perception on ART’s does not reduction of HIV transmission (AOR=1.96, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.43), rate of counseling (AOR=0.37, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.84) and use condom to prevent pregnancy (AOR=4.53, 95% CI: 2.11, 9.73) were found to be independent predictors of consistent condom utilization among ART users. Refusal by husbands, decrement in satisfaction, gender difference with more women than men willing to use consistently and religious reasons were factors associated with inconsistent condom utilization in the qualitative study.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Consistent condom utilization among ART users was low. Sex, residence, educational status, perception towards ART were significantly associated with consistent condom utilization. Moreover, husband refusal, religious reason, decrement in satisfaction on the qualitative study were associated with non-consistent use of a condom. The importance of consistent condom use should be well addressed in HIV/AIDS patients, to prevent transmission and multiple infections of HIV.

Sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV in Muslim-majority countries: a systematic mixed studies review

Background

The number of women living with the human immunodeficiency virus (WLHIV) in Muslim-majority countries has increased significantly in the last decade. These women are often marginalized and face insecure sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs and rights. However, little is known about the multi-faceted factors influencing these women’s fertility, contraceptive, and perinatal decisions and sexual life. This systematic mixed studies review aimed to synthesize the empirical evidence on social, cultural, and structural factors influencing the SRH of WLHIV in Muslim-majority countries.

Methods

This review provides a synthesis of quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method research findings searched from PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL and Cochrane databases. We screened 3452 SRH studies involving WLHIV. The studies, published in English between 2008 and 2017, were from 20 Muslim-majority countries with increased numbers of WLHIV. The quality of eligible studies was appraised using a mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT) version 2011. Findings were thematically analysed by a hybrid deductive-inductive approach. Two independent reviewers were involved in the study selection, data extraction, quality appraisal, and data synthesis.

Results

We included 13 SRH-related studies involving 1748 WLHIV in eight Muslim-majority countries. Most of these studies explored fertility desire and sexual health, while only a small proportion related to contraceptive use and the perinatal-care experience. We identified that WLHIV faced neglect of their SRH rights. These rights were predominantly affected by the socio-cultural, religious and health-services context of the women’s lives, which directed them to unsafe sex practices and stressful perinatal experiences.

Conclusions

This study points to the need for SRH laws, policies, and interventions which stop WLHIV experiencing SRH discrimination violence and achieving their SRH rights.

Factors associated with consistent condom use: a cross-sectional survey of two Nigerian universities

Background

Consistent condom use is central to the prevention of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially among young adults. This study drew from a cross-sectional survey of two Nigerian universities to determine the level of consistent condom use, explored the determinants of condom use consistency and reasons for inconsistent condom use.

Methods

We adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design, which involves the recruitment of 800 male and female students using stratified random sampling. Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression models were used to examine the factors associated with consistent condom use among a final sample of 498 students who engaged in sex in the last year preceding the study.

Results

Only 38.6% of sexually active participants (n = 498) used condoms consistently in the previous year. High condom self-efficacy score (AOR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.58–3.64), discussion of HIV/STIs with sexual partner (AOR: 1.91; 95%CI: 1.29–2.83), knowing partner’s HIV status (AOR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.02–2.16), being students of university located in a high HIV prevalence area (AOR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.92–4.28) and engaging in sex with only steady partner (AOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.17–2.60) were associated with a higher odds of consistent condom use. Trust, unavailability of condoms, dislike of condoms and a perception that condoms reduced sexual pleasure were the main reasons for inconsistent use of condoms.

Conclusion

The study found a low level of consistent condom use among study participants. Counselling young adults in Nigeria on condom self-efficacy, providing condoms on campuses and encouraging the discussion of sexually transmitted infections with sexual partners are central to improving the level of consistent condom use among Nigerian university students.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7543-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Changes in sexual behaviors following diagnosis with HIV: patterns and correlates among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in China

Effective secondary prevention of HIV infections requires knowledge about changes in sexual behaviors after diagnosis among people living with HIV (PLHIV), yet there is a dearth of literature assessing gender-specific patterns and correlates of such changes among heterosexual PLHIV in China. Data used in the current study were derived from a cross-sectional survey conducted from 2012 to 2013 among 1212 heterosexual sexually active PLHIV in Guangxi, China. Most participants reduced sexual frequency (71.2%), reduced or maintained the same number of sexual partners (96.6%), and increased or maintained same frequencies of condom use (80.6%). Gender difference was found in changes in sexual frequency, but not in the number of sexual partners or condom use. For males, decrease in sexual frequency was associated with having no desire to have children (OR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.20, 3.44), being virally suppressed (OR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.079, 0.94), and social support (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.06, 1.96). Health promoting behaviors in condom use (i.e., increased or maintained same frequencies of condom use) for males was associated with being 45 years of age or older (OR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.21, 0.61), having an HIV-negative main partner (OR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.11, 2.92), and physical health-related quality of life (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.00, 1.04). For females, decrease in sexual frequency was associated with having no desire to have children (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.01, 2.47). Health promoting behaviors in condom use for females was associated with having an HIV-negative main partner (OR = 3.24, 95% CI 1.63, 6.45) and social support (OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.57, 0.99). Future intervention efforts need to target PLHIV who need extra support in making health-improvement efforts and to facilitate gender-specific behavioral changes in sexual risk reduction after HIV diagnosis.

Perceived confidence to use female condoms among students in Tertiary Institutions of a Metropolitan City, Southwestern, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Latex condoms for men have been documented to offer high efficacy as both a contraceptive and protection against sexually transmitted diseases. This equally establishes the importance of continued research on female condoms. This study aims to investigate the perceived confidence to use the female condoms amongst undergraduate female students from selected tertiary institutions from Ibadan Southwestern Nigeria.

METHODS

The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey involving 388 female undergraduate students selected through a multistage sampling technique. The survey was carried using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to generate frequencies, cross tabulations of variables at 5% level of significance.

RESULTS

Mean age of respondents 18.26 ± 3.45 with most students being 20-24 years (55.2%), single (92.8%), Yorubas (85.6%) and from the polytechnic institutions (41.0%). Only 10.8% had good perceived confidence to use a female condom. Perceived confidence was significantly higher amongst other ethnicities (19.59 ± 3.827) compared to Yoruba ethnicity (18.04 ± 3.337) (F = 9.935; p < 0.05). Likewise, students from the Polytechnic campuses exhibited significantly higher mean scores (18.81 ± 3.187) compared to others (F = 3.724; p < 0.05). Perception towards the condom was a significant factor that influenced the confidence to use a female condom (F = 9.896; p < 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Concerted efforts are advocated to improve the low perception exhibited towards the use of female condoms and the low perceived confidence to its utilization. This would help to transfer the decision making and control to women thus contributing to their empowerment and increased protection from unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

Returning for HIV Test Results: A Systematic Review of Barriers and Facilitators

This systematic review aims to identify factors that facilitate or hinder the return for HIV test results. Four electronic databases were searched. Two independent reviewers selected eligible publications based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Quantitative studies published since 1985 were included. Thirty-six studies were included in the final review. Individual level barriers included sociodemographic characteristics, such as being a male, of young age and low education level, risk behaviours such as injecting drugs, having multiple sexual partners, and psychosocial factors. Older age, higher education level, being a woman, having high self-esteem, having coping skills, and holding insurance coverage were identified as facilitators. Interpersonal barriers and facilitators were linked to risk behaviours of sexual partners. Contextual barriers included essentially the HIV testing center and its characteristics. This review identified the most important factors that need to be addressed to ensure that people return for their HIV test results.