Sexual Activity and Unprotected Sex Among Treatment Seeking HIV/AIDS Patients: A Multi-Site Study in Nigeria

Sexual activity without protection predisposes HIV infected individuals to re-infection of different strains and faster progression to AIDS. With advance treatment and sense of well being, sexual activities among patients, continues. The present study using a multivariate design examined prevalence of sexual activity, unprotected sex and associated factors. HIV related factors (e.g.; drug use combination; knowledge of duration of HIV diagnosis) and Socio demographic factors (e.g.; multiple spouse; age, gender, ethnicity) were involved in a model of unprotected sex among HIV/AIDS patients seeking treatment in three tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria. Five hundred and two, (187(37.3%) males and 315 (62.7%) females) HIV/AIDS patients participated in the study. Mean age and mean time in months since diagnosis were 36.73 ± 9.38; 19.42 ± 23.12 respectively. Two hundred and sixty four (48%) were sexually active. One hundred and fifty three (58%) engaged in unprotected sex. Two variables: educational status and marital status were related to unprotected sex at (p<0.05). Median differences with KruskalWallis H tests showed highest level of education, p = 0.018), and being currently married, p = 0.009 were associated with unprotected sex. Intervention to reduce unprotected sex among married patients with higher education should evolve among PLWHAs in Nigeria.