Navigating intimate sexual partnerships in an era of HIV: dimensions of couple relationship quality and satisfaction among adults in Eswatini and linkages to HIV risk

Couple relationship functioning impacts individual health and well-being, including HIV risk, but scant research has focused on emic understandings of relationship quality in African populations. We explored relationship quality and satisfaction in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) using data from 148 in-depth interviews (117 life-course interviews with 28 adults and 31 interviews with 29 marriage counselors and their clients) and 4 focus group discussions. Love, respect, honesty, trust, communication, sexual satisfaction, and sexual faithfulness emerged as the most salient characteristics of good relationships, with both men and women emphasising love and respect as being most important. Participants desired relationships characterised by such qualities but reported relationship threats in the areas of trust, honesty, and sexual faithfulness. The dimensions of relationship quality identified by this study are consistent with research from other contexts, suggesting cross-cultural similarities in conceptions of a good relationship. Some relationship constructs, particularly respect, may be more salient in a Swazi context

Orgasmic Cephalgia : an Uncommon Presentation

Background: Orgasmic cephalgia is rare; but it is likely that its prevalence is underestimated because of patients' arriere pensee when it comes to disclosing personal information concerning their sexual activities. Aim: To report a case of orgasmic cephalgia in a 34-year-old housewife. Method: All information was obtained from her medical records and investigation results. Relevant literature on headaches associated with sexual activity was also reviewed. Result: Patient developed sudden onset severe headache at orgasm; which rapidly worsened over 6 months to the extent that she began to dread all forms of sexual activity. She had only used unprescribed medication. She responded well to naratriptan and anxiolytics. By the third month of treatment; her headaches had completely disappeared. Conclusion: Most cases of orgasmic cephalgia are benign and probably do not require specific treatment. Triptans are useful for those that do not respond to conventional analgesics