Gender-based Barriers to Partner Notification among HIV-Positive Clients in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study hopes to provide evidence to inform gender integration in the scale up of Partner Notification Services for HIV positive clients in Imo State Nigeria. Partner notification or disclosure otherwise contact tracing is defined as a voluntary process whereby a trained provider asks people diagnosed with HIV about their sexual partners and/or drug injecting partners and then, if the HIV-positive client agrees, offers these partners HIV Testing Services. The study was conducted in 4 comprehensive ART sites in Imo State, Nigeria across 4 local government areas. The state is in Southeastern part of Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey among index clients in the State was done Pre-tested, interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire was used. Consenting index clients were recruited consecutively for the study. Data was analyzed using IBM statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20. Chi-square test was used to ascertain associations of characteristics of clients with Gender-barriers in Index Clients at level of significance of ≤ 0.05. This study showed that majority were positive on overall perception (about 95%) as well as component Gender-based Barriers to HIV (>75%). Some of them include fear of violence, fear of stigmatization, fear of loss of relationship or income and cultural norms that frown on having multiple sexual partners. Gender inequalities, including gender-based and intimate partner violence, exacerbate women and girls’ physiological vulnerability to HIV and block their access to HIV services. HIV is not only driven by gender inequality, but it also entrenches gender inequality, leaving women more vulnerable to its impact.