High HIV sero-prevalence among students of institutions of higher education in Southeast Nigeria

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and sexual behavioural dynamics of HIV infection in\udstudents of institutions of higher education (IHEs) as a guide to the design of a tailor-made HIV\udintervention programmes.\udMethods: A total of 9 709 sexually matured students from five IHEs in Southeast Nigeria\udaged 1 9-24 years were recruited to obtain representative data from the institutionalised\udstudent population. HIV status was confirmed using enzyme based immuno-assay technique.\udDemographic and behavioural information were obtained through a structured questionnaire.\udAssociation of HIV infection with behavioural risk factors was done using multiple logistics\udregression model.\udResults: IHEs in Southeast Nigeria have a higher HIV prevalence of 3.69% against the national\udprojected rate of 201 2. The age-specific prevalence among male students (2.91 %) is nonsignificantly (P>0.1 ) lower than that of females (4.31 %). Female students had higher rate of\udinfection, multiple sexual partner, transactional and forced sex, unusual genital discharge and\udlow condom use when compared with their male counterparts. These risk factors were associated\udwith increased HIV seropositivity. HIV prevalence and sexual risky behaviour were high among\udstudents of IHEs when compared with previous estimates of their non-institutionalised age\udbrackets. Unprotected sexual activity have a 4.2 times higher chances of infecting the partner with\udHIV.\udConclusions: The data showed a higher prevalence of HIV infection in students of IHEs in\udcomparison with non-institutionalised persons of the same age bracket. Specifically, it could\udbe inferred that appropriate HIV intervention measures was absent with higher incidence of the\udinfection and risky behaviour found in female students. Therefore, a prioritised tailor-made\udpolicy for HIV control for students of IHEs should be considered