AEGiS-14IAC: Perceived faith-based invulnerability to HIV infection among female sex workers in Nigeria.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Perceived faith-based invulnerability to HIV infection among female sex workers in Nigeria.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. TuOrE1204)

Ankomah A, Ladipo O, Akinyemi Z, Odusote T, Anyanti J
Society for Family Health, Lagos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Nigeria is a highly religious society where many people rely on God for all types of protection. Given the obvious link between unprotected intercourse and HIV/AIDS, especially in sex work, it was considered necessary to explore the extent to which sex workers self-assessment of risk depended on their faith. METHOD. Eight focus groups were conducted in brothels located in four cities in Nigeria by well-trained moderators in 'pidgin' English and Hausa and transcripts were later translated into English. Participants were systematically selected from the list of sex workers resident in the brothels.

RESULTS: To most of the women, belief and trust in God offered safety and protection, and belief in the transcendental created some form of risk relief among sex workers. For example, Many sex workers in Ibadan prayed together every morning asking for Gods protection. One of the dangerous outcomes of sex workers reliance on God for protection is the emergence of faith-based invulnerability to HIV infection: the belief that they will never get infected because of their faith. Even more worrying is the misconception held by some that condoms are irrelevant, since it is only God who can protect an individual from infection and even if condom are used they won't be effective so why bother?. A related finding is that strong belief in predestination i.e.'what will be will be', and that those who will die from AIDS had already been numbered and consequently it made no sense taking preventive measures when one's fate had long been decided by God.

CONCLUSIONS: HIV behaviour change campaigns in Africa need to address the erroneous belief that contracting HIV is more a matter of bad luck or chance than a result dependent upon a person's sexual behaviour. Interventions need to address the accuracy of personal vulnerability and risk self-appraisal. This is especially necessary in high risk sex situations such as sex work.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV Infections, Prostitution, Condoms, Sex Behavior, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Condoms, Female, HIV Seropositivity, Safe Sex, Culture, Nigeria, Focus Groups, Coitus, Africa, Female, Human

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