NIGERIAN adults have a tendency not to go for the HIV screening test to know their HIV status, says the 2008 National Demographic & Health Survey (NDHS) released last week.

The survey, implemented by the National Population Commission (NPC) and fielded from June to October 2008, observed that despite the fact that 49 per cent of women and 65 per cent of men know where to get an HIV test,  majority of Nigerians have never been tested for HIV.

It found that 15 per cent of women and 14 per cent of Nigerian men have ever been tested and received their results, but in the 12 months before the survey, only 7 per cent of both women and men took an HIV test and received their results.

Among women, HIV testing in the last 12 months ranges from 2 per cent in the North East and North West zones to 14 per cent in South East zone. Only 13 per cent of women with a live birth in the past two years were tested for HIV during an ANC visit and received the results. Again, women in South East zone were most likely to be tested (35 per cent).

The survey notes that on average, Nigerian women age 15–49 have 1.6 sexual partners in their lifetime compared with men age 15–49 with an average of 4.3 lifetime partners. In the survey, 1per cent of women and 15 per cent of men who had sex in the past 12 months had two or more partners during that time. Of those who had multiple partners, 23 per cent of women and 33 per cent of men used a condom during their last sexual intercourse.

Despite the fact that overall, 22 per cent of women age 15–24 and 33 per cent of men age 15–24 have comprehensive knowledge of HIV and AIDS,  only 8 per cent of young women in North West zone know a condom source compared with 65  of young women in South West zone. Seven percent of women and men age 15–24 have been tested for HIV and received their results in the past 12 months. Testing is most common in South East and South South zones.