Risk factors of HIV/AIDS among Women who have sex with Women in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria

A.D.Oguizu, C.I.C Ebirim, U.G. Ekeleme

HIV/AIDS; Risk factors; Women who have sex with Women; Akwa-Ibom State; Nigeria.

Background: Human immunodeficiency syndrome is a stretch of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus.
Objectives: The study assessed the risk factors of HIV/AIDS among women who have sex with women in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria.
Methods: This study was a cross sectional study of Four hundred women who have sex with women selected from three cities in Akwa-Ibom State. Statistical package for service solution version 23 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics, Relative risk and Binary logistic regression were used to compare proportions between risk factors and HIV/AIDS among the women.
Results: About 51.5% of the respondents preferred more of women than men as their sex partners. One third (38.3%) of the respondents said they got initiated into lesbianism between the ages of 16-20 years. A quarter (46.0%) of the respondents said their mode of initiation into lesbianism was through peer pressure. More than half of the respondents had sex with women and men to get something in return. More than half (63.5%) of the respondents said they have had more than two sex partners in the last 3 and12 months. Some (18.0%) said they have been forced to have sex with men and women. This study also revealed that 48.0% of the respondents occasionally used protections during sex. More than half of the respondents tested negative for HIV, while 17.8% tested positive for HIV. There was significant association between risk factors and HIV in the respondents studied.
Conclusion: The study observed unsafe sex practices among the women.

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