HIV/AIDS, sexual practices, reproductive health and risk assessment among informal sector workers in Ondo State Nigeria

Aim: HIV/AIDS is a rapidly growing epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria in particular. The report of the 2012 National Reproductive Health Survey Plus indicated that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, that is, Nigerians currently living with HIV/AIDS is about 3.4% while Ondo State has a prevalence of 4.3%. Inadequate knowledge, traditional beliefs, poverty and cultural factors have all been fingered as factors contributing to the prevalence in the country. This study is therefore designed to determine the knowledge about HIV/AIDS, sexual practices and reproductive health as well as the practice of prevention and transmission of HIV/AIDS among workers in the informal sectors of Ondo State, Nigeria. Methods: An open-ended structured questionnaire was administered consecutively to 721 consenting informal sector workers by interviewer at the various government/public and private sector workplaces. The cross-sectional survey questionnaire comprised sections on socio-demographic data, knowledge about HIV/AIDS and knowledge about sexual practices and reproductive health. Results: The mean age (SD) was 40.3 (10.1) years. 303 respondents (42.0%) are male while 418 respondents (58.0%) are female. 703 respondents (97.5%) have heard about HIV/AIDS, 265 (36.8%) defined HIV correctly, 212 (29.4%) defined AIDS correctly. Only 63 (11.0%) got the prevalence rate in the state correctly. Conclusion: The average percentage knowledge score on the knowledge about HIV/AIDS, sexual practices and reproductive health among this category of workers indicates that there is a huge knowledge gap in certain aspects of these fields, influencing their sexual practices to be such that promotes the transmission of the virus.