A Cross Sectional Study on HIV Risk Perception and Sexual Behaviours among Commercial Motorcyclists in Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria

The study was aimed at determining the HIV risk perception and sexual behaviour among commercial motorcyclists in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. The study design was cross sectional study among 344 consenting, registered commercial motorcyclists, aged 18 years and above working in Makurdi, Benue State capital. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the respondents from a total of 5000 motorcyclists spread across 45 stations within Makurdi. Data was collected in September 2014 using structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Analysis was done with SPSS version 20.0. The mean age was 28.18 (± 7.94) years. Approximately 93% of the participants reported ever having sex. The average lifetime number of sexual partners was 8.9 (± 20.26) while 48.0% reported having had more than one sexual partner in the previous one year. A two third of the respondents (66.7%) reported use of condom during their last sex with a non-regular partner. Slightly less than a quarter (24.1%) of the respondents have paid to have sex in the previous one year. However only 29.6% perceived themselves as been at moderate or high risk of contracting HIV. There was significant association between risk perception and use of condom during last sex with any partner {OR-2.687 (95% CI= 1.337 - 5.400) p=0.005}. There is low personal risk perception despite high proportion of risky sexual behaviours among the respondents. HIV prevention interventions among commercial motorcyclists need to be more tailored and with the objective of building assertive skills in addition to imparting knowledge.