142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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312505
HIV/AIDS- related stigma and testing behavior among Nigerian college students

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Olabode Ayodele, MPH, PhD , Department of Applied Health Sciences, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
Abimbola Adeola, MPH , Fairbanks School of Public Health, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
Background: HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) remains an effective prevention strategy. However, utilization of HIV VCT is still constrained because of anticipated stigma and actual experiences of people living with HIV. HIV/AIDS- related stigma and discrimination impede both the willingness and ability to adopt preventive behaviors. This study assessed association between HIV/AIDS-related stigma and testing behavior among a sample of Nigerian college students.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire among 226 Nigerian college students (mean age 24.4 years). Descriptive statistics, bivariate and logistic regression analyses were carried out to analyze the study data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows version 20.

Results: About 76% of the participants had not tested for HIV. Endorsement of HIV/AIDS-related stigma was negatively associated with HIV testing. Students who had not tested for HIV exhibited significantly greater stigmatizing attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS. A relatively higher percentage (61%) of the respondents had stigma scores above the mean stigma score, indicating endorsement of HIV/AIDS-related stigma among the study participants. Specific analyses of the stigma items showed that HIV testing behavior was significantly associated with perception that people living with HIV/AIDS experience discrimination.

Conclusion: Findings of this study underscore the need for strategic interventions aimed at reducing the level of anticipated HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination among Nigerian college students who had not tested for HIV.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related education
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Assess association between HIV/AIDS-related stigma and testing behavior among a sample of Nigerian college students.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Behavioral Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I teach epidemiology and health biostatistics. My research interests focus on social and behavioral epidemiology.
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.