Social Determinants of Health and Knowledge about HIV/AIDS Transmission Among Nigerian Adolescents

Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Health Services

Advisor

Dr. Tolulope F. Osoba

Abstract

HIV is a virus that leads to AIDS. Millions of people are living with HIV. Globally, there is an increased incidence of this disease among adolescents. In literature, there is a gap regarding how social determinants of health have jointly or singly contributed to HIV/AIDS transmission. With the application of the AIDS risk reduction model (ARRM) to the secondary analysis of survey data, the purpose of this study was to determine whether any significant relationships existed between adolescents' childhood health care factors, demographic factors, social-level factors, structural-level factors, aspects of disease management factors, and knowledge about HIV transmission/AIDS among Nigerian adolescents. Survey data were used from Measure Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) in Nigeria for 2008. Multiple linear regression revealed that childhood vaccinations were a weak predictor for HIV transmission risk (R2 - 0.020). Gender, age, place of residence, education, religion and culture, some disease management aspects (e.g., accessibility and affordability of care), and wealth index were all significant but weak predictors of knowledge of HIV/AIDS (R2 = 0.016, R2 = 0.019, R2 = 0.003 & R2 0.015). The potential positive social change effect of the study would be HIV transmission reduction through increasing knowledge of HIV/AIDS among adolescents in Nigeria. The results could be used by both governmental and nongovernmental organizations to influence childhood healthcare improvements and advance education to help reduce or eradicate the causes of HIV/ AIDS transmission among adolescents in Nigeria.

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