Socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents
The ages of the respondents ranged from 18-55 years with a mean of 34 years ±1.89 (median = 36). The total number of respondents was 397 (that is, a response rate of 93%), out of which 13.4% were female. Majority (40.3%) were aged 35-44 years, while most of the respondents (69.3%) were married. Two hundred and ninety-one (73.3%) respondents are Christians while 26.7% are Muslims. Two hundred and thirty-three (58.7%) had tertiary education while 154 (38.8% had secondary education, 7 (1.8%) primary and 3 (0.8%) had no formal education. Majority of the respondents, 151 (38.0%) were from other ethnic backgrounds, while Yoruba were 111 (28.0%), Igbos were 59 (14.9%) and Hausas were 76 (19.1%).
Table 1: Awareness of HIV
Variables
|
Frequency (%)
|
Ever heard of HIV
No
Yes
Total
|
6 (1.5)
391 (98.5)
397 (100.0)
|
Do you believe it exist?
No
Yes
Unsure
Don’t know.
Total
|
6 (1.5)
377 (96.4)
5 (1.3)
3 (0.8)
391 (100.0)
|
Heard or seen any information about AIDS virus.
No
Yes
Total
|
77 (19.7)
314 (80.3)
391 (100.0)
|
Major source of information
Media
Family/Friends
Co-worker
Sex-partner
Health worker
AFPAC/EPIC initiative
Others
Total
|
336 (85.9)
5 (1.3)
11 (2.3)
2 (0.5)
24 (6.1)
7 (1.8)
6 (1.5)
391 (100.0)
|
Table 1 shows that 98.5% of the respondents have heard of HIV and 96.4% believed it exists. Three hundred and seventeen respondents have heard or seen information about the HIV virus, with the media (85.9%) been the major source of this information while AFPAC/EPIC initiative accounting for 1.8% as source of information.
Table 2: Knowledge scores for HIV transmission
Variables
|
No (%)
|
Yes (%)
|
Total (%)
|
Correct
|
From pregnant women to unborn child
|
134(34.3)
|
257 (65.7)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Sex with an infected person
|
14 (3.6)
|
377 (96.4)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Blood transfusion
|
34 (8.7)
|
357 (91.3)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Contaminated or re-used needles
|
62 (15.9)
|
329 (84.1)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Incorrect
|
Using a toilet
|
372 (95.1)
|
19 (4.9)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Mosquito bites
|
364 (93.1)
|
27 (6.9)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Sharing eating utensils
|
113 (35.3)
|
278 (71.1)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Shaking hands/non-intimate contact
|
365 (93.4)
|
26 (6.6)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Circumcision
|
138 (35.3)
|
253 (64.7)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Others
|
273 (69.8)
|
118 (30.2)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Out of the 391 respondents that indicated that they had knowledge about HIV transmission, 174 (44.5%) military personnel had inadequate knowledge with 0-7 scores, while 217 (55.5%) personnel had adequate knowledge of HIV transmission with scores of 8-10. The knowledge score was computed by summing the overall score over 10. Participants that affirmatively answered to all correct methods and negatively to all incorrect methods of HIV transmission had a perfect score of 10. Those with affirmed 3 correct and negated 6 incorrect methods scored 9, while those with affirmed 2 and negated 6 incorrect methods of transmission scored 8. These scores were classified as ‘adequate knowledge’. Respondents that have a summation of affirmed responses to between 0 and 2 correct methods and any number of negative responses (between 0 and 6), were all classified as ‘inadequate knowledge’.
HIV modes of prevention
Of the 391 military personnel that responded to the possibility of preventing HIV infection, 372 (95.1%) believed that something can be done to prevent HIV while 19 (4.9%) believed that nothing can be done to prevent the disease.
Table 3: Knowledge scores for HIV prevention
Variables
|
No (%)
|
Yes (%)
|
Total (%)
|
Correct
|
Abstinence
|
96 (24.6)
|
295 (75.4)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Using condoms
|
38 (9.7)
|
353 (90.7)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Stick to one partner
|
38 (9.7)
|
353 (90.7)
|
391 (100.0)
|
No sex with prostitutes
|
74 (18.9)
|
317 (81.1)
|
391 (100.0)
|
No sex with casual partners
|
89 (22.8)
|
302 (77.2)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid blood transfusion
|
122 (31.2)
|
269 (68.8)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid sharing shaving blades
|
48 (12.3)
|
343 (87.7)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid sharing nail cutter
|
74 (18.9)
|
317 (81.1)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid injection with contaminated needles
|
54 (13.8)
|
337 (86.2)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Incorrect
|
Prevention by prayer
|
237 (60.6)
|
154 (39.4)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid kissing
|
298 (76.2)
|
93 (23.8)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid mosquito bites
|
367 (93.9)
|
24 (6.1)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid herbal preparations
|
382 (97.7)
|
9 (2.3)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Avoid antibiotics, injections, and other medications
|
374 (95.7)
|
17 (4.3)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Seek protection from traditional healer
|
385 (98.5)
|
6 (1.5)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Others
|
378 (96.7)
|
13 (3.3)
|
391 (100.0)
|
Out of the 391 personnel that had knowledge about HIV prevention, 80.8% of these respondents had inadequate knowledge, while only 19.2% had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention. The knowledge score was computed by summing the overall score over 16. Participants that affirmatively answered to all correct modes and negatively to all incorrect modes of HIV prevention had a perfect score of 16, those with affirmed responses between 4-7 correct and negated 6 incorrect methods scored 9, while those with affirmed 2 and negated 6 incorrect methods of transmission scored 8; these scores were classified as ‘adequate knowledge’. Respondents that have a summation of affirmed responses to between 0 and 2 correct methods and any number of negative responses (between 0 and 6), were all classified as ‘inadequate knowledge’.
Table 4: knowledge of HIV prevention and socio-demographic characteristics
Variables
|
Inadequate knowledge
|
Adequate knowledge
|
X2 values
|
P values
|
Gender
Male
Female
Total
|
275 (81.4)
41 (77.4)
316 (80.8)
|
63 (18.6)
12 (22.6)
75 (19.2)
|
0.47
|
0.491
|
Age group
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-55
Total
|
2 (66.7)
6 (85.7)
117 (77.5)
191 (83.0)
316 (80.8)
|
1 (33.3)
1 (14.3)
34 (22.5)
39 (17.0)
75 (19.2)
|
2.31
|
0.510
|
Education
None
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Total
|
2 (66.7)
6 (85.7)
117 (77.5)
191 (83.0)
316 (80.8)
|
1 (33.3)
1 (14.3)
34 (22.5)
39 (17.0)
75 (19.2)
|
2.31
|
0.510
|
Marital Status
No
Yes
Total
|
79 (83.2)
237 (80.1)
316 (80.8)
|
16 (16.8)
59 (19.9)
75 (19.2)
|
0.44
|
0.506
|
Service arm
Army
Navy
Air Force
Total
|
182 (77.4)
68 (87.2)
66 (84.6)
316 (80.8)
|
53 (22.6)
10 (12.8)
12 (15.4)
75 (19.2)
|
4.49
|
0.106
|
Rank
Officers
Others
Total
|
20 (80.0)
296 (80.9)
316 (80.8)
|
5 (20.0)
70 (19.1)
75 (19.2)
|
0.012
|
0.914
|
Ethnicity
Yoruba
Igbo
Hausa
Others
Total
|
85 (79.4)
49 (83.1)
53 (70.7)
129 (86.0)
316 (80.8)
|
22 (20.6)
10 (16.9)
22 (29.3)
21 (14.0)
75 (19.2)
|
7.91
|
0.048*
|
Religion
Christianity
Islam
Total
|
237 (82.9)
79 (75.2)
316 (80.8)
|
49 (17.1)
26 (24.8)
75 (19.2)
|
2.88
|
0.089
|
*Significant at p<0.05
Only 18.6% of the male personnel and 22.6% of the female personnel had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention. Lower proportions of the personnel in all age groups and levels of education had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention, though age group 18-24 years and no formal education experienced the highest proportion of adequate knowledge of HIV prevention (33.3%) compared to others. Sixteen (16.8%) of 95 unmarried personnel and 59 (19.9%) of 296 married personnel had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention. About 23% of Army personnel had adequate knowledge, while about 13% and 15% of Navy and Air Force personnel respectively had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention. This shows that higher proportion of Army personnel had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention compared to other service arms. Twenty per cent of Officers and 19% of other ranks had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention. About 20.6%, 16.9%, 29.3% and 14.0% of the personnel in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and other ethnic groups had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention, respectively. There was however a statistical association between knowledge of HIV prevention and ethnicity at p<0.05 (X2=7.91, p=0.048). Finally, about 17.1% of respondents that are Christians and 24.8% of Muslims had adequate knowledge of HIV prevention. In all, there were no statistical association at p<0.05 between knowledge of HIV prevention and socio-demographic characteristics, except ethnicity which was significant at p<0.05.
Table 5: Logistic regression
Logistic regression of Ever heard or seen any information on HIV/AIDS
|
Variables
|
Beta
|
p-values
|
OR
|
95% CI
|
Service arm (ref-Army)
Navy
Air Force
|
-0.653
0.180
|
0.030*
0.615
|
0.520
1.197
|
0.288-0.939
0.594-2.410
|
Age group (ref-18-24)
25-34
35-44
45-55
|
0.764
1.563
1.792
|
0.058
0.000*
0.001*
|
2.147
4.772
6.000
|
0.975-4.731
2.082-10.936
2.109-17.066
|
Marital Status (ref-Single)
Married
|
0.670
|
0.015*
|
1.954
|
1.139-3.351
|
Logistic regression of Knowledge of HIV prevention
|
Age group (ref-45-55)
18-24
25-34
35-44
|
-0.507
-0.953
-0.669
|
0.261
0.004*
0.037*
|
0.602
0.386
0.512
|
0.248-1.460
0.203-0.731
0.273-0.961
|
Service arm (ref-Army)
Navy
Air Force
|
-0.966
0.195
|
0.000*
0.475
|
0.381
1.215
|
0.224-0.646
0.712-2.075
|
Rank (ref- Officers)
Other ranks
|
-0.922
|
0.055
|
0.398
|
0.155-1.019
|
Education (ref- None)
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
|
-1.609
-0.600
-0.251
|
0.278
0.627
0.838
|
0.200
0.549
0.778
|
0.011-3.661
0.049-6.180
0.070-8.703
|
*Significant at p<0.05
The respondents in the age group of 25-34 years and 35-44 years were respectively about 0.4 times and 0.5 times more likely to have good knowledge of HIV prevention than those in the reference (45-55 years age) group. These observations were significant with p = 0.004 and p = 0.037 respectively for the age groups. However, military personnel in the 18-24 years age group were 0.6 times more likely to have good knowledge of HIV prevention than those in 45-55 years age group but this is not statistically significant. Army personnel were about 2.6 times more likely to have good knowledge of HIV prevention than those in the Navy, and this was statistically significant at p<0.05. Respondents in the Air Force were 1.2 times more likely to have good knowledge of HIV prevention than those in the Army. This observation was however not statistically significant with p = 0.475.
Change in behaviour to prevent HIV/AIDS infection
About 96.5% of the respondents reported to have changed behaviour to prevent contracting HIV/AIDS. However, 16.0% and 19.9% of the respondents that changed behaviour to prevent infection with HIV by not having sex and by stopping all sexual acts, respectively. About 74.5% of these respondents started using condom, 82.0% restricted to one sex partner and 61.5% reduced number of sex partners. Almost 77% of the respondents advised partners to be faithful, 51.2% said ‘no’ to homosexual contacts, 75.1% ensured sterilized needles and 71.1% avoided sharing razors or clippers.
Among those that reported to have ‘no’ or ‘small’ risk of getting HIV, 61.8% reported that they abstain from sex, while 87.7%, 81.8%, 74.7% and 78.9% reported to avoid multiple sex partners, sex with prostitutes, sex with homosexuals and sex with casual partners, respectively. Two hundred and thirty five respondents (82.5%) reported to use condom during sexual acts.