Socio-cultural factors and HIV/AIDS prevention in Nigeria: Implication for food security

Abstract

Since the discovery of the disease (AIDs), the Federal Government of Nigeria and Abia State Government in particular have attempted to put in place programmes that will constitute to its prevention and effective management. Yet there is an evidence in the rise of the epidemic. May be something is wrong with the strategy put in place in the eradication effort so far. Based on this premise the study tried to ascertain those cultural practices that can aid in the prevention of the epidemic. The study was carried out in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State. Three communities Alaukwu, Amato and Nneise were randomly selected. A purposive random sampling technique was used to select females between the ages of 15 to 46 years for interview. A total of 120 respondents were selected from these communities. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis. Major results indicated that some cultural practices like chastity of girls before marriage, monogamy, equal education to both sexes and male circumcision with mean score of 2.71, 2.55, 2.50, 2.71 respectively aids in prevention of HIV/AIDs. The result further indicated some socioeconomic factors that aids in spread of the epidemic. Educational qualification had a coefficient of -2.202 which implies a negative relationship with Y. migration had a coefficient of 3.683 which implies a positive significant relationship with Y. Income had a coefficient of 2.664 which implies a positive relationship with Y. Migration had a co-efficient of 3.683 which implies a positive significant relationship with Y. The study therefore recommends that mobilization campaigns based on the cultural context of the HIV/AIDs epidemic should be encouraged for the effective prevention.

Keywords: Culture, HIV/AIDs, socio-cultural factors food security