Factors affecting the practice of HIV/AIDS prevention strategies among women in cocoa farming households in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

This paper looks at the factors affecting adoption of HIV/AID prevention strategies among women in Cocoa
growing areas of South Western Nigeria. Women adoption behaviour to some HIV/AIDS prevention
strategies such as faithfulness, abstinence, condom use, status check, and safe sex, avoidance of
untreated sharp objects and transfusion of untested blood were investigated. 120 respondents were
selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Information was collected through interview schedule.
The study revealed a mean age of 41.2±11 years with 82.5% married and 68.33% in polygamy. It was also
revealed that though respondents had high knowledge of the HIV prevention strategies but a low score in
the practice of the strategies. However, knowledge of HIV prevention strategies has a positive and
significant correlation (r=0.065; α=.001) with practice of the strategies. The study further revealed that
women servitude status will reduce knowledge of HIV/AID prevention strategies by 30.1% and the practice
or adoption of prevention strategies by 25.7 %. It is recommended that programs for women’s freedom and
empowerment that will enhance their participation in decision making process, at the family and community
levels, for the control and the eradication of HIV/AIDS should be implemented. This also calls for drastic
steps to curb the gender inequality problems in decision making in Nigeria, especially in the rural areas,
that exposes women, who are the majority of the agricultural labour force, to HIV/AIDS plagues.