Condom use and other HIV risk issues among Nigerian soldiers: challenges for identifying peer educators

Most Nigerian soldiers acknowledge the usefulness of condoms in HIV prevention, but few use them in sexual relationships. Identification of soldiers low in HIV-risk behaviours, particularly regular condom use, to function as peer educators appears desirable. We therefore sought to identify HIV-risk issues among a group of Nigerian soldiers. Male soldiers were more likely to be older, married and living alone than their female counterparts. Female soldiers had had better education than the males but, in spite of that, alcohol use and sexual relationships in the context of alcohol were widespread with no difference between the genders. However, alcohol abuse as detected in 22-27% of the soldiers was more likely to be a male problem. Having more than one sex partner did not distinguish the male soldiers from the females. Consistent condom use was uncommon, found in only 16-20%, with no difference between genders. Married persons (more likely to be males) were more guilty of no or inconsistent condom use. Although this study has failed to recognise who might be potential peer educators based on their non-risky behaviours, it has highlighted some important inadequacies in the Army health education campaign programme with respect to HIV/AIDS issues. Large-scale interventions, including more extensive condom promotion, training large numbers of peer educators, promoting ingenious ways of female self-protection from the highly dominant males and encouraging further research have been advocated.