Sexual risk behaviours among patients admitted for substance use disorder and schizophrenia in a psychiatric hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Researchers have reported that abuse of psychoactive substances play a major role in HIV transmission among drug users while those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia may also be at high risk for HIV infection. This is a cross-sectional and comparative study of consecutive and consenting patients admitted at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba between April and December 2008, aimed at comparing HIV risk behaviours of patients with substance use disorder and those with schizophrenia, comparing the findings between the two groups and determining the socio-demographic factors in each group associated with such behaviours. The results showed that subjects using psychoactive substances were more involved in sexual activity than those with schizophrenia. Both groups of subjects engaged in HIV risk behaviours such as having multiple casual partners (Substance users 21.5%, schizophrenia 9.5%). Non-use of condom with casual partners (Substance users 25.4%, Schizophrenia 36.7%) and history of sexually transmitted diseases like genital discharge (Substance users 4.0%, Schizophrenia 15.0%) were more in those with Schizophrenia. In conclusion, both groups of patients engaged in high risk sexual behaviours that could predispose them to HIV infection. It was recommended that concerted efforts should be made to establish HIV prevention programmes for both groups of psychiatric patients. Key Words: sexual, risk behaviour, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, inpatients, lagos nigeri