ASSESSMENT OF ACCESS AND USE OF PROTECTIVE METHODS AMONG PATIENTS AVAILING HIV/AIDS HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN ANAMBRA STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to assess the access and use of protective methods among patients availing HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. Six research questions were formulated and tested with respect to the type of healthcare information available on HIV/AIDS, sources of information, awareness of information by HIV/AIDS patients, access to healthcare information, use of healthcare information, challenges of access to healthcare information and suggested solution to the problems. A survey method was adopted for the study. A total population of 356 HIV/AIDS patients was selected from the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. Self-structured Questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection. Data collected was analyzed and presented using frequency distribution table, while hypotheses were tested using T-test of independent sample. The study found out that types of healthcare information sought for by majority of HIV/AIDS patients were signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS with 222(62.4%) respondents. Access to healthcare information was through internet with 179(50.3%) responses which was the most popular source of information. The purpose of use of healthcare information was to educate people on HIV/AIDS with a score of 271(76.6%). Findings of the hypotheses showed that there is no significant difference in types of healthcare information available for male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary health institutions in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. The study concluded that there was access to healthcare information through various sources and formats but hindered by factors such as ignorance of people who do not believe in the real existence of HIV/AIDS and may never go for laboratory test or seek for information. The researcher recommended that government intervention is required to facilitate adequate provision of information. Moreso, information communication technologies are very essential in the delivery of healthcare services and in aiding adequate supply of vital information due to the fact that provision of qualitative healthcare services cannot be complete without information technology.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to Study

Human Immune Deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Nigerian society is a burden that continues to grow with devastating human, socio-economic and security consequences, apart from untold grief and human misery. The effect of HIV/AIDS is so enormous that it has created untold burden on human families in particular and society at large, wiping out societal developmental gains, increasing child mortality, decreasing life expectancy and creating millions of orphans in the society, especially in Nigeria. As of 2022, an estimated 39 million people were living with HIV globally, with Africa disproportionately bearing approximately two-thirds of the global burden (UNAIDS, 2023). Adequate provision of healthcare information, easy accessibility and effective utilization of information is needed by HIV/AIDS patients and healthcare professionals to fight the scourge.

Healthcare is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury and other physical and mental impairments across a range of disciplines including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023). It also refers to the work done in providing primary, secondary and tertiary care, as well as in public health. Access to healthcare varies across countries, groups and individuals, largely influenced by social and economic conditions as well as health policies in place; therefore information is needed to facilitate effective healthcare management. Information is a critical resource to the growth and development of any individual, group and nation (Folorunsho & Suleman, 2025). Recently, there is an increasing awareness of information needs by individuals, groups, organizations and nationalities for policy making, planning and other strategic reasons. High-level information generation and awareness of available information needs has put information managers on their toes in their efforts to find a solution to HIV/AIDS problem in the society.

Effective accessibility and utilization of healthcare information requires a functional system with consistent management skills channeled towards an achievable goal. The goal of an information system is to meet the need of its users. Health care information systems include the resources, devices and methods required to optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval and use of information in health and biomedicine practices (Babale, 2023). Health information tools include not only computers but also guidelines, formal medical terminologies, information and communication systems. These are applied to areas of nursing, clinical care, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, occupational therapy and biomedical research. Healthcare information is needed to enhance knowledge of healthcare professionals and patients, to characterize, evaluate and refine clinical decisions, implementation, management, evaluation of health services and continuous improvement in all ramifications.

Management of HIV/AIDS patients requires that healthcare providers ensure that vital health information reaches them regularly through effective communication channels; this will significantly improve patient safety, treatment outcomes and satisfaction. Good information management is required to ensure that each patient can be identified and traced. Highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) continue to be the cornerstone of HIV management, requiring consistent adherence to antiretroviral regimens to maintain viral suppression and minimize the emergence of drug-resistant strains (Demissie & van Rensburg, 2024). Modern digital health tools and information communication technologies are increasingly being integrated to support this process, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (Kamulegeya et al., 2025).

1.2 Statement of Problem

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the final stage of Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) disease, which causes severe damage to the immune system. AIDS is a complication of HIV infection. The virus attacks the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable to a variety of life-threatening infections and cancers. Globally, HIV/AIDS has claimed an estimated 40.4 million lives since the epidemic began, and approximately 39 million people were living with the virus by 2022 (Salihu et al., 2025). AIDS-related deaths claimed a life every minute in 2022, with about 630,000 deaths recorded that year, underscoring the continued urgency of the epidemic (UNAIDS, 2023).

Nigeria has the second largest burden of HIV/AIDS in the world, with an estimated 1.9 to 2 million people living with HIV and a national prevalence of approximately 2.1% among adults aged 15–49 years (Onovo et al., 2023). Despite notable progress in expanding access to antiretroviral treatment, with nearly two million people living with HIV (PLHIV) on treatment as of 2023 (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024), mortality and new infections remain alarmingly high. The epidemic is further complicated by significant regional variations and structural barriers to care, including poverty, gender inequality and stigma (Oturu, O’Brien & Ozo-Eson, 2024). This is no doubt very alarming and requires urgent, sustained intervention.

With AIDS claiming so many lives, Nigeria’s life expectancy has declined significantly, posing a significant barrier to sustainable development in all ramifications. The major objective of healthcare information is to ensure high quality medical care. There are volumes of information resources in different formats printed, electronic, digital, databases, e-journals, e-books, newsletters, magazines and basic educational materials needed to prevent the cause and spread of HIV infection in the society. In order to eradicate the deadly scourge of HIV/AIDS in the society, there is a need for availability of information resources through different sources. Easy access and adequate utilization of information is crucial to its prevention, proper management and decision making.

Research has shown that in spite of the volumes of information resources on HIV/AIDS, the number of patients continues to rise in Nigeria. Furthermore, there are many people living with HIV/AIDS who strongly believe in using traditional medicine rather than orthodox therapies that could curtail or prevent the spread of the disease, while some do not even believe in the existence of HIV/AIDS in the society (Oturu et al., 2024). Perhaps they are not privy to information on the disease, or it could also be that they do not utilize the available information on HIV/AIDS. It is against this background that this study was designed to assess the access and use of protective methods among patients availing HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital.

1.3 Research Objectives

The general objective is to assess the access and use of protective methods among patients availing HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. The specific objectives are stated as follows:

1. To determine the types of health care information available for HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital

2. To determine the sources of healthcare information for protective methods available for the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital

3. To assess the extent of awareness of healthcare information for protective methods by HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital

4. To determine the extent to which HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary health centers in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital access healthcare information for protective methods

5. To investigate the challenges faced by the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital in accessing health care information resources for protective methods

1.4 Research Questions

The researcher sought to provide answers to the following research questions:

1. What types of health care information are available for HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital?

2. What sources of healthcare information for protective methods are available for the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital?

3. What is the extent of awareness of healthcare information for protective methods by HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital?

4. To what extent do the HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary health centers in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital access healthcare information for protective methods?

5. What are the challenges faced by the HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital in accessing health care information resources?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

This study was designed to test the following hypotheses:

H01: There is no significant difference in the types of healthcare information on HIV/AIDS available to male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary healthcare centers in the North Western States of Nigeria.

H02: There is no significant difference in the level of access to healthcare information on HIV/AIDS among male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary healthcare centers in the North Western States of Nigeria.

H03: There is no significant difference in the level of usage of health care information on HIV/AIDS among male and female HIV/AIDS patients in the selected tertiary healthcare centers in the North Western States of Nigeria.

1.6 Significance of Study

The findings of this research will be of great importance in making healthcare information on HIV/AIDS available and accessible to HIV/AIDS patients, either in printed form, electronic or through online web resources and databases, and also creating awareness on available resources, using an effective method of accessibility to information resources.

The study will also achieve its aim by complementing the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the control, prevention and cure of people living with HIV/AIDS diseases in our society. It will also reveal the extent to which healthcare information resources are easily accessed and adequately utilized by the HIV/AIDS patients, and to enable them manage and control the spread of the disease.

Furthermore, it will help the healthcare providers, HIV/AIDS patients and the general public in making effective decisions about the type of preventive care to adopt and type of medication to accept, whether to go for HIV/AIDS test and how to source for information. It will help in defining the unique role of librarians as information professionals and in providing information to specialists in every profession.

It will also enable library managements to understand the challenges faced by HIV/AIDS patients in accessing available information in medical libraries and to provide adequate facilities and resources (printed, electronic or virtual) that will assist HIV/AIDS patients and the general public in stemming the spread of the disease in the society. Librarians and information managers in libraries will find the study useful in adequately providing current healthcare information resources, creating easy access to the available information and ensuring the efficient utilization of healthcare information resources.

1.7 Scope and Limitation of Study

The study covers Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. However, HIV/AIDS patients who are registered users of the selected health institution are also included.

This study was limited by the availability, accessibility and use of health care information by HIV/AIDS patients in Anambra State University Teaching Hospital. Time constraints, financial constraints and cooperation with respondents and the administration were also limitations to this study.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Information Availability – Existing information provided on HIV/AIDS for the use of HIV/AIDS patients, healthcare providers and the general users.

Information Accessibility – The various ways by which HIV/AIDS patients and healthcare providers can obtain relevant information easily from the source.

Health Information – Information resource needed to improve the physical condition, human safety, quality of care and organizational efficiency.

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