Prevalence and Causes of HIV/AIDs Infection Among Out-of-School Children in Ibadan

Abstract

Children who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation are also vulnerable to HIV infection because they live on the margins of society and outside of the health system. As a result, they may be infected without knowing their HIV status and will not access the health system when they develop an opportunistic infection related to AIDS. The prevalence of HIV/AIDs in Nigeria especially in Ibadan among the out-of-school children has become a great public health concern. This study therefore mitigated prevalence and causes of HIV/AIDs infection among out-of-school children in Ibadan, Oyo State. Nigeria. This study is anchored on explanatory mixed method of QUAN+qual research design. A random sampling technique was employed in sampling 100 participants for the study. Three instruments: Out-of-school children HIV Risk and Infection Questionnaire (OHRIQ) and HIV/AIDs Rapid Test Kit (HARTK) were used to elicit quantitative information from participants and KII to collect qualitative data from the participants about their status. Data collected was analysed using Descriptive and Multiple Regression while ATLAS ti was used for qualitative data. Results revealed that Home and Street life has a moderate positive correlation and was significant with HIV infection among out-of-school children (r = .16; p=<0.01). Survival activities have very strong positive significant correlation with HIV infection. Sexual behaviour has low positive significant (r=.00, p<0.01) correlation and Marginalization has a low negative significant correlation (r=-.07, p<0.01). The study therefore recommends that parent should endeavor to send their children to school and take full responsibility on their wellbeing to avoid being infected with HIV.