
Best Paper Award Bronze
Mr. Adebimpe Wasiu Olalekan
Theme of Conference: New Frontiers in Scientific Research of the Millennium
Article Topic: Socio-Cultural Factors Influencing Early Diagnosis and Prevention of HIV among Women of Reproductive Age in Southwestern Nigeria
ABSTRACT:
INTRODUCTION
Culture and social
status are key determinate of attitude and behaviour towards prevention and
control of many diseases of Public health importance including HIV.
OBJECTIVES
This study determines
socio-cultural barriers to early diagnosis and prevention of HIV among women of
reproductive age in Southwestern Nigeria
METHODS
Descriptive cross
sectional qualitative study among women of reproductive age group and health
care givers concerning socio and cultural factors influencing diagnosis and
prevention of HIV. Five Focus Group Discussions (FGD) of 8 eligible respondents
each were conducted using a pretested FGD guide in collecting data from the
randomly selected subjects. Data was analyzed using simple content analysis.
RESULTS
Cultural and social
factors influencing HIV vulnerability and transmission identified include low
education status, poor awareness among women, low employment and economic
power, adverse religious beliefs and practices, reluctance to accept teaching
of FLHE in schools and the public, stigma and discrimination even from the
health care workers affecting health seeking behaviour. Other factors include
polygamy, male dominance, low decision power and value of women, remarrying
after divorce, widowhood rights, wife inheritance and sharing, early marriage,
and some cultural breastfeeding practices encouraging HIV transmission
CONCLUSION
Raising community
awareness by traditional, cultural and religious gatekeepers becomes imperative
to circumvent many of the identified social and cultural factors constituting
barriers and influencing HIV diagnosis and prevention