Gender perspectives of sexual and reproductive practices of people living with HIV/AIDS in Enugu, South East Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: a major focus of attention in the efforts at controlling the spread of HIV infection has become the role of gender inequality. The objective of the study was to compare the sexual practices of HIV-positive male and female patients who received counselling and treatment at an Anti-retroviral Clinic in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

METHOD: A comparative cross-sectional descriptive study of patients attending the free anti-retroviral clinic at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu was done.

RESULTS: A total of 146 males (30.8%) and 328 females (61.9%) were studied. Although there was no significant difference in the prevalence of sexual activity between the sexes, the reasons for sexual practices differed. Females indulged in risky sexual activity principally in obedience to the demands of their male partners and were more likely to have sexual partners who were unaware of their seropositivity than males.

CONCLUSION: Risky sexual behaviour among women living with HIV/AIDS in Enugu despite exposure to intensive counselling was still mainly driven by the subordinate traditional gender roles of women in this culture.