Psychosocial factors predicting risky sexual behaviour among long distance truck drivers in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Long distance truck drivers (LDTDs) have been identified as one of the groups at higher risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Understanding how certain social and psychological variables that have a strong theoretical basis contribute to sexual risk behaviour will guide in the implementation process of HIV risk-reduction intervention in the trucking population. In line with the conceptualisation of Information, Motivation and Behavioural skills model, we examined the extent that HIV knowledge, attitude towards condom use, peer support to condom use, perceived vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and condom use self-efficacy will independently and jointly explain sexual risk behaviours of LDTDs in a haulage company in Lagos, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was used and 154 drivers with ages ranging from 27 to 68 years (M = 44.03, SD = 8.82) completed copies of a questionnaire comprising demographics and measures of psychological variables. Psychological factors that included HIV knowledge, attitude towards condom use, perceived vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, peer support to condom use, and condom use self-efficacy significantly jointly predicted sexual risk behaviours (R 2 = .59, F(5, 148) = 42.63; p < .05), by accounting for about 59% of the explained variance in sexual risk behaviours. Social factors that included age, number of years of education, number of wives, number of intercourses in the last three months, number of partners apart from primary partners, and number of weeks spent outside home significantly jointly predicted sexual risk behaviour (R 2 = .15, F(6, 147) = 4.39; p < .05) by accounting for about 15% of the explained variance in sexual risk behaviour among the drivers. It is concluded that all the psychological and social factors examined as predictor variables could jointly play important roles in prevention intervention programmes for reducing sexual risk behaviours of LDTDs. Stakeholders should sensitise LDTDs on the need to realise that they are a high-risk group and are more vulnerable to HIV infection; thus, behaviour change is indispensable in their sexual relationships.

Unprotected Sex among Sexually Active Unmarried Young Adults: A Pariah or Preemptive Incidence

“…For instance, our findings were partly with Amare, et al [7] and Berhan and Berhan [15] who in their systematic review and meta-analysis of predictors of risky sexual behaviour discovered that not all students of tertiary institutions engaged in unsafe sex out of their self-will but sometimes due to what they stood to derive from such practices or as results of poor understanding of the consequences of their risky sexual lifestyles. Also, our findings collaborated Chawla and Sarkar [27] and Lawal and Olley [31] who buttressed on the established direct and significant link between substance abuse, psychosocial factors and risky sexual behaviour lifestyles. This finding was a confirmation of our findings where our respondents admitted that had unprotected sex because they were drugged by their sexual partner(s).…”

“…According to Awofala and Ogundele [19] and Lawal and Olley [31] it is obvious that a significant number of people living with HIV in Nigeria were not aware of their infection status; this has been generally linked to the poor level of the utilisation of voluntary counseling testing centres for HIV/AIDS in the country. On the other hand, there are gender disparities in the prevalence of HIV among young adults between ages 15-24 years in Nigeria.…”

Sexual and reproductive health knowledge, sexual attitudes, and sexual behaviour of university students: Findings of a Beijing-Based Survey in 2010-2011

“…Regarding the relationship between sexual knowledge and behaviour, another study indicated that poor SRH knowledge of male youths increased the risk of female partners’ unintended pregnancy in China [ 27 ]. Regarding the relationship between sexual attitude and behaviour, a study concluded that psychological and social factors could jointly reduce sexual risk behaviours [ 28 ]. Furthermore, several psychosocial predictors of high-risk sexual behaviour were identified [ 29 ].…”

Understand Sexual Risk Behaviours in Young Adults and Challenges in their Education

“…Finally, personal factors are difficult to assess since they are influenced by individual lived experiences, biological, psychological and social variables (Wagenaar et al, 2018). Participants recognized the relationship between factors and their biological, psychological, and social consequences (Lawal & Olley, 2017). However, the key aspect that emerged from this study is the explicit explanation of stigma and taboo towards these behaviours, tending to blame and marginalize the people who suffer from it (Mudhovozi, 2011).…”