HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC AND THE IMPERATIVES OF SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS IN THE UTILISATION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN UATH GWAGWALADA, ABUJA
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Background: It is a common knowledge that HIV/AIDS is a disease that its sufferers are highly stigmatized with high tendency of suffering rejection, discrimination, neglect and abandonment by their significant others, friends, colleagues and in extreme cases health care professionals (providers) as many literature had revealed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the imperatives of socio-cultural factors in the utilization of health care services in Nigeria by the victims of the dreaded HIV/AIDS accessing the (US) President's Emergency Plans For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) victims' support services in the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, FCT. Materials and Methods: To accomplish this objective, the study adopted survey research design which aided data collection from 98 patients out of the 152 patients sampled using both primary (questionnaire) and secondary sources. Results: Data analysis showed that about 55.1 % of the patients receiving care in the hospital falls within the age bracket of 18-34 years, 53.1% were male and 43.9% were female, most of the patients representing 15.3% were Igbos followed by 12.2% Idomas, 51% were resident in Abuja FCT and 17.3% were coming from Niger State, 36.7% each were single and married while 16.3% widowed. 30.6% had post secondary education, 25% were secondary school students, 40.8% were employed while 34.7% were unemployed, 54.1% had difficulties coming to the hospital due to lack of transport money, 39.8% had various kinds of difficulties on admission such as social isolation due to stigma, lack of money to support their needs, poor feeding, difficulty seeing doctors and poor access to their drugs. Conclusion and Recommendation: The study concluded that socio-demographic variables are very significant in determining or non-use of health care services by the victims of HIV/ AIDS. It recommends that a workable policy framework be put in place by government and other relevant donor agencies to help ameliorate the difficulties faced by HIV/AIDS patients receiving treatment in the hospital, particularly those on admission.