142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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297972
HIV/AIDS Educational NEEDS of Christian and Islamic Religious Leaders in Oyo and Kaduna States, Nigeria

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 4:30 PM - 4:50 PM

Olaoluwa Solademi, RN, MPH , Department of Health Promotion and Education, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, Ibadan, Nigeria
Remi Awopegba, MPH , Department of Health Promotion and Education, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, I, Nigeria
Studies have shown that religious leaders influence their followers’ actions and choices. They also play pedagogical roles which makes them constitute potential HIV/AIDS educators. There is dearth of information on Nigerian religious leaders’ (RLs) HIV/AIDS educational needs. The knowledge and perceptions of Christian Religious Leaders (CRLs) and Islamic Religious Leaders (IRLs) in Oyo and Kaduna States of Nigeria were studied.

 Stratified sampling technique was used in selecting 252 participants. A validated questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive, t-test and Chi-square statistics were used.

 Respondents’ mean age was 48.0±12.7 years and 96.0% were males. Ninety-nine percent CRLs and 79.8% IRLs had secondary education. All CRLs and most (97.5%) IRLs had heard about HIV/AIDS. Respondents’ overall mean knowledge score on HIV/AIDS was 16.5±3.4. The mean knowledge score of RLs from Oyo (17.1±3.0) was significantly higher than those from Kaduna (15.9 ± 3.5). Majority knew HIV could be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse. Most RLs knew HIV can be transmitted through blood transfusion. The listed erroneous modes of HIV transmission mentioned included sharing food, kissing, mosquito bites, shaking hands with an infected person and witchcraft. More CRLs (51.5%) than IRLs (30.8%) had attended a training on HIV/AIDS. The mentioned methods used for implementing HIV/AIDS education in Churches/Mosques included preaching, distribution of educational materials and drama presentations. Majority CRLs and half of the IRLs had educated their congregation on HIV/AIDS.

 Gaps in knowledge and erroneous perception of HIV/AIDS exist among participants. Appropriate educational interventions are recommended for addressing the identified needs.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Describe the Christian and Islamic religious leaders’ state of preparedness to participate in HIV/AIDS prevention education; Explain the various methods, strategies or approaches that could be used to initiate and sustain HIV/AIDS prevention lessons in Churches and/or Mosques; Discuss the information derived to suggest strategies for improving HIV/AIDS education in Churches and Mosques.

Keyword(s): HIV Interventions, Faith Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a co-principal of this project on HIV/AIDS Educational Needs of Christian & Islamic Religious Leaders. I worked alongside Awopegba Remi who is a colleague. We both have Masters in Public Health and presently, we are PhD students in the Department of Health Promotion & Education, University of Ibadan. Among my scientific interests has been developing health promotion strategies in religious communities
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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