THE CHALLENGES OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND THE COPING MECHANISMS AMONG THE WOMEN OF OWO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AKURE, ONDO STATE

ABSTRACT

The study examined the challenges of women living with HIV/AIDS and the coping mechanisms among the women of Owo Local Government Area, Akure, Ondo State. The objective of the study was to identify the key challenges faced by women living with HIV/AIDS in Owo Local Government; investigate the coping mechanisms employed by women to address the challenges associated with HIV/AIDS in Owo Local Government; examine the influence of socio-cultural factors on the experiencs of women living with HIV/AIDS in Owo Local Government; determine the social work intervention strategies to support women with HIV/AIDS in Owo Local Government of Ondo State. The cross sectional research design was adopted for this study. 100 copies of questionnaire were distributed to respondents in Owo local government areas in Edo state. Data collected were analyzed using frequency count, percentages, and mean with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPS) 24.0 The empirical studies shows that the demographic profile underscores the significance of understanding the unique issues faced by this group, particularly concerning age distribution ,religion, educational qualification and marital status, and the coping mechanisms. The study recommend that the government should prioritize improving access to quality healthcare services for women living with HIV/AIDS in Owo LGA. Community-based organizations and NGOs should collaborate with local religious and traditional leaders to implement awareness campaigns. Educational institutions and vocational training centers should develop targeted programs to enhance educational and economic opportunities for women living with HIV/AIDS. Social work agencies and support groups should continue to provide holistic support services tailored to the specific needs and contexts of women living with HIV/AIDS in Owo LGA. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, challenges of women, coping mechanism, social work intervention