SUAC0306 | DECODING PREVENTION BEHAVIOR: EDUCATION’S IMPACT ON PREP AND HIV TESTING UPTAKE AMONG FEMALE SEX WORKERS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA’S INTERNALLY-DISPLACED PERSONS CAMP

Lydia Efobi | Person-centered HIV Research Team (PeCHIVReT), Nsukka, Enugu, Nigeria

Female sex workers (FSWs) in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps are disproportionately affected by HIV, with very high prevalence rates. Despite the availability of PrEP and HIV testing, there’s low uptake in these camps due to limited access, stigma, and low health literacy. While education and knowledge critically inform preventive behaviors, their impact on PrEP use and HIV testing in FSWs within IDP camps remains underexplored. This study examined the knowledge of PrEP and HIV testing and the effect of varying educational levels on female sex workers’ access in Calabar. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 108 randomly selected FSWs in Calabar from December 2024 to January 2025. A three-part validated 17-item questionnaire that measured educational level, knowledge of HIV service locations, and frequency of accessing HIV prevention services was used for data collection from FSWs. Data analysis involved frequencies, cross-tabulations, chi-square tests, and regression analysis using IBM SPSS (vs-27), with significance set at p<0.05. Among 108 FSWs who participated in the study, more respondents, 25 (23.1%), were 25-34 years old. There were 39 (36.1%) respondents who had six years of experience in sex work. Those who had received primary, secondary, tertiary, and no formal education were 27 (25%), 33 (30.6%), 6 (5.6%), and 42 (38.9%), respectively. The majority (n=94; 87%) of the respondents reported that they did not know where to access PrEP or HIV testing in their area, while 10 (9.3%) knew where to access these services. Respondents with secondary and tertiary levels of education accessed HIV testing regularly, while those with no formal education reported no use (n=32, p=0.003). Regression analysis confirmed that both education and knowledge of these HIV prevention service locations independently influenced regular access to PrEP (p=0.001) and HIV testing (p=0.009), while no knowledge of these access points emerged as a significant barrier to utilization (p=0.001). There was poor knowledge of PrEP and HIV testing locations among FSWs and increased access to HIV prevention services among more educated FSWs, suggesting a need for more enlightenment and improved service visibility among female sex workers. Strengthening these efforts will contribute to increased results in the global HIV prevention target.