Modifying sexual behaviour of patients attending human immunodeficiency virus treatment centres in lagos

This study was carried out among patients attending human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment centres in Lagos to assess their sexual behaviour, conduct a health education intervention on safe sexual behaviour among the patients in the study group and re-assessing the sexual behaviour in both control and study groups.

A multi-stage sampling method was used to recruit 253 control and 256 intervention patients. The study sites selected were HIV treatment centres in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (control), and Ifako-Ijaiye and Isolo General Hospitals (intervention). A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The study site intervention consisted of health education seminars. Post-intervention data were collected after 3 and 6 months. Total study duration was about 10 months.

At baseline, there was no statistically significant difference in the sexual behaviour of respondents in both groups. Post-intervention, the notable effects of this intervention on the sexual behaviour of the study group were a 37.7% rise in condom use at last sexual exposure, a 74.3% increase in consistent condom use in the last 3 months, a 74.3% rise in consistent condom use with regular partners and a 39.0% rise in consistent condom use with casual partners.

The modification of sexual behaviour of respondents achieved in this study has shown that dedicated interventions to increase the practice of safer sex can be effective. More of such interventions are required to stem the spread of HIV in Nigeria.