Trends in HIV prevalence from 2008 to 2012 among young adults in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

IO Okonko, LC Nnodim

Abstract

Background: The pandemic of HIV lines amongst the utmost infectious disease menaces in antiquity. HIV remains a problem worldwide and it’s a grave health snags in developing nations particularly in  Nigeria.

Objective: This study focused on “trends in HIV reporting from 2008 to 2012 among young adults in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Methods: Secondary data were collected from BMSH, Port Harcourt using a Performa specifically intended for this determination. Socio-demographic data for the subjects were recovered from coded patients’ medical records kept at BMSH. The data generated was exposed to Fisher’s Exact Test.

Results: The study showed that a total of 3081 HIV-positive cases were reported between 2008 and 2012. The HIV trend were not well defined, it peaked in 2009(36.6%) and 2008(32.8%) and a decrease in  2011(16.6%), 2012(8.3%) and 2010(5.7%). A 3.8% increase was observed between 2008 and 2009 and 30.9% decrease between 2009 and 2010. However, the prevalence seemed to stabilize between 2009 and 2012. HIV patterns among various age-groups is not  well-defined, it rose with increasing age and peaked at 26-30years (35.7%) after which it declined. Sex differences (P<0.05) in the trend was observed. Males ages 26–30years showed uniform pattern with an increasing trend while 36-40years showed decreasing trend except in 2009(34.1%). Females ages 26-30years showed uniform pattern with an increasing trend from 2008(21.7%) to 2010(41.9%) and decreased from 41.9% (2010) to 36.5%(2012). The low HIV prevalence in 2010 could be attributed to the fact that the proportion of centers giving ART enlarged from 2005 to date. Health care facilities providing HIV/AIDS counselling and testing services also increased.

Conclusion: The long decades fight against HIV especially in Rivers State is making progress, though an unstable one. The observed increase in years with high HIV prevalences calls for an intensified focus of intervention.

Keywords: AIDS, Anti-retroviral therapy (ART), Health facilities, HIV, Prevalence Trends.

Full Text: