HIV PREVALENCE AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN NIGERIA

Background

According to the latest World Report on Disability, 15.6 percent of the world’s adult population is reported to be disabled with an estimated 80 percent of persons with disabilities living in the developing world (Groce 2004; United Nations 2006; Frontera 2012). Persons with disabilities have often been overlooked in the context of HIV risk, prevention, and services as it is commonly assumed that persons with disabilities are not at risk for HIV. However, there has been a growing recognition that persons with disabilities are indeed at risk for HIV, in fact, they have been found to be at equal, if not greater, risk for HIV compared to non-disabled persons (Groce 2004; Fritz, Morojele and Kalichman 2010; De Beaudrap, Mac-Seing and Pasquier 2014). Factors that increase the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to HIV include poverty, lack of education, lack of sex education, lack of knowledge about HIV and safe sex practices, sexual abuse, substance abuse, poor access to health services, and stigma and discrimination. In the past few years, more attention has been given to issues related to disability and HIV, and there is growing recognition of the heightened vulnerability of this population to HIV.

Full Report Below

HIV PREVALENCE AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN NIGERIA