Women's role in reproductive health decision making and vulnerability to STD and HIV/AIDS in Ekiti, Nigeria.

An exploratory study of women's role in reproductive decision making in Ekiti shows that women in the state are increasingly taking active decisions on matters affecting their daily lives. More women than ever before believed that they could take decisions on family size, when to have a baby and choice of spacing period. The cultural barrier against short postpartum abstinence appeared to have diminished and sex during lactation was not considered a major cultural and religious taboo. Knowledge of contraception has become universal in recent years, and the majority of women take decisions on the method and timing of family planning. All women who used family planning considered their decision in this regard very important. The ability of women to take decisions on these issues may not only enhance their bargaining power but also reduce their vulnerability to STDs including AIDS from diseased or high-risk partners.

Health-seeking behaviour of STD patients in an urban area of southwest Nigeria: an exploratory study.

Sexually transmitted disease patients of health institutions in Ado-Ekiti responded to questionnaires on the quality of STDs treatment; four-fifths of the institutions are privately owned. Gonorrhoea and syphilis are the major STDs reported by the respondents and treated by the health-care providers. Other types are candida, dysuria, lymphogranuloma venereum, chancroid, trichomoniasis and STD-related problems. The symptoms noticed by the respondents are pain, burning sensation, discharges, itching and open sores. Most sought treatment within seven days of noticing the symptoms. Most sought treatment from other health providers before coming to the health institutions where they were interviewed. Respondents were attended by modern doctors during their search for a cure, but in most cases, only by physical examination because laboratory facilities were non-existent or inadequate. Treatment was mainly chemotherapy, involving antibiotics and analgesics. In addition to chemotherapy, the health providers counselled the patients. Most respondents reported that they were satisfied with the quality of treatment. Results are discussed and recommendations are made.

PIP: 41 sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients aged 16-65 years of mean age 29.8 years in urban Ado-Ekiti were interviewed about their knowledge of STDs, their health-care seeking behavior, and the type and quality of health care services received from their health care providers. 54% were aged 20-30 years, 73% were male, 44% were currently married, and all had some formal education. 20 were recruited from private hospitals and clinics, 13% from pharmaceutical shops, 2 from chemist or patent medicine stores, 1 from a traditional treatment home, and 5 from mission hospitals. No success was had in recruiting patients from the only government health facility in the area. Gonorrhea was reported by 59% of respondents and syphilis by 19%, the major STDs reported overall and subsequently treated. Candida, dysuria, lymphogranuloma venereum, chancroid, trichomoniasis, and STD-related problems were also reported. Respondents reported experiencing pain, burning sensation, discharges, itching, and open sores. Most sought treatment within 7 days of noticing the symptoms, typically from other health institutions before coming to the institutions in which they were interviewed. Respondents sought treatment at a second institution because of their dissatisfaction with perceived poor quality service at the first facility. While attended by modern doctors while looking for a cure, the patients in most cases received only physical examinations since laboratory facilities were non-existent or inadequate. Treatment was mainly chemotherapy, involving antibiotics and analgesics. The health providers also counseled the patients and most reported being satisfied with the quality of treatment.