RISK FACTORS FOR HIV AND HIV PREVALENCE AMONG CURRENTLY MARRIED AND UNMARRIED FEMALE SEX WORKERS IN NIGERIA: A SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS OF 2007 IBBSS

Abstract

Female sex workers constitute an important high risk group for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) evidenced by a high prevalence of the disease in this group. The interactions between marriage and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection has been investigated in the general population but few studies have examined the role of marriage on HIV among female sex workers. The objective of this study was to compare risk factors for HIV and HIV prevalence between female sex workers that are married and those that are not married. The study is a reanalysis of the data on female sex workers from the 2007 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Surveys (IBBSS). A cross sectional survey of high risk groups for HIV in six States in Nigeria. Data on 2889 female sex workers was analysed using SPSS version 16.0. The differences in socio demographic variables were first evaluated between the three marital categories using the chi square test. The differences in the proportion of selected risk factors between marital categories was also tested using the chi square test. Then, for each dependent variable, a logistic regression analysis was performed on marital status as the main independent variable and other variables that were significant at 5% p.value were included. Odds ratio and 95% CI were reported. The mean age of the sex workers was 26.1 years and ranged between 15-49 years. Prevalence of HIV was high among FSWs that are currently married living with spouse /partner and those married not living with spouse/partner ( 47.1 %) & 42.8% respectively). After adjusting for other variables, those that are currently married living with spouse were about 3 times more likely to be HIV positive than those not married at OR=2.518, 95%CI=I .766-3.589 and those currently married not living with spouse were 2 times more likely than those not married to be HIV positive at OR=2.114. 95%Cl= l.660-2.692 and those that are currently married living with spouse were about twice less likely to have used alcohol than those not married (OR=0.487, 95% Cl=0.351-0.676) and those currently married not liv ing with spouse were less likely than those not married to have taken alcohol. (OR=0.762. 95%CI=0.600-0.967). The study showed that married FSWs are a major bridge in the transmission of HIV/AIDS to the general population and sensitization efforts among high risk groups especially FSWs should be targeted at those that are married. Voluntary counseling and testing should also be promoted for couples, as should other evidence-based interventions that target heterosexual couples.