The Influence of Cultural Practices on the Spread of HIV/AIDS and the Challenges to Its Effective Control in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite sustained efforts by national and international health organisations to reduce the high prevalence of HIV, Akwa Ibom State continues to record one of the highest rates in Nigeria. Cultural practices remain a highly significant yet often underestimated contributor to the persistence of the epidemic, alongside well-recognised biological and socioeconomic drivers. This study critically examines how specific societal norms, rituals, and cultural beliefs inadvertently facilitate the transmission of HIV and undermine effective prevention and control measures in Akwa Ibom State. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with healthcare professionals, community members, and traditional leaders. It identifies practices such as polygyny, ritualised non-marital sex, multiple concurrent sexual partnerships, poverty, levirate marriage and sexual cleansing, female genital mutilation, widow inheritance, traditional scarification and tattooing, as well as the pervasive male dominance in sexual decision-making. The findings underscore the urgent need for cultural sensitisation and context-specific interventions that respectfully engage with local traditions while promoting evidence-based public health practices.