Sexual behaviour among rural women in Ondo state, Nigeria: do cultural and gender norms matter?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20185228Keywords:
Sexual behaviour, Women, Cultural and gender norms, Sustainable developmentAbstract
Background: The issues of sexual behaviour that increase risk of a negative outcome among women have been debated. This paper explored the influence of cultural and gender norms on sexual behaviour among rural childbearing married women in Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Methods: The study utilized exploratory study design and purposively recruited 394 and 30 childbearing married women for quantitative and qualitative studies, respectively through which data were generated. The analyses were carried out with Stata software (version 13.0) for quantitative data using descriptive and chi-square statistics, while thematic content analysis was used for qualitative data.
Results: About two-third of the respondents did not use contraceptive methods, which was a significant predictor of unplanned pregnancies among the women at p<0.05. Alluding to cultural preference of children and male roles in sexual behaviours, the qualitative data revealed that desire for large family sizes by partners, cultural norms, men’s superiority on sexual matters and partners’ disapproval of contraceptive usage predict women’s inability to negotiate sex with partners.
Conclusions: Therefore, risk reduction strategies aimed at enlightening childbearing married women on their imperative positions in sexual relationships within marriages should be initiated to facilitate the achievement of sustainable development goals should be intensified.
References
Chialepeh WN, Susuman AS. Risk factors of inconsistent condom use among sexually active youths: Implications for human immunodeficiency virus and sexual risk behaviours in Malawi. Journal of Asian and African Studies 2015;52(4):484-49.
Nakaie N, Tuon S, Nozaki I, Yamaguchi F, Sasaki Y, Kakimoto K. Family planning practice and predictors of risk of inconsistent condom use among HIV-positive women on anti-retroviral therapy in Cambodia. BMC Public Health 2014;14(1):614-70.
Arowojolu AO, Ilesanmi AO, Roberts OA, Okunola MA. Sexuality, contraceptive choice and AIDS awareness among Nigerian undergraduates. Afr J Reprod Health 2002;6(2):60-70.
Federal Ministry of Health. National HIV/AIDS Reproductive Health Survey. Abuja, Nigeria, 2007.
Wusu O, Isiugo-Abanihe UC. Understanding sexual negotiation between married partners: A study of the Ogu families in South Western Nigeria. Afr Pop Stud. 2010;23(2):151–71.
Burke HM, Ambasa-Shisanya C. 2011. Qualitative Study of Reasons for Discontinuation of Injectable Contraceptives among Users and Salient References Groups in Kenya. Afr J Reprod Health. 2011;15(2):67–78.
Diamond-Smith N, Campbell M, Madan S. Misinformation and fear of Side-effects of Family Planning. Cult Health Sex. 2012;14(4):421–33.
Hindin MJ, McGough LJ, Adanu RM. Misperceptions, Misinformation and Myths about Modern Contraceptive Use in Ghana. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care. 2014;40(1):30–5.
Ochako R, Mbondo M, Aloo S, Kaimenyi S, Thompson R, Temmerman M, et al. Barriers to Modern Contraceptive Methods Uptake among Young Women in Kenya: A Qualitative Study. BMC Public Health 2015;15(1):2991.
Pasha O, Goudar SS, Patel A, Garces A, Esamai F, Chomba E, Goldenberg RL. Postpartum Contraceptive Use and Unmet Need for Family Planning in Five Low Income Countries. BMC Reproductive Health 2015;12 (2):1–7.
Otoide VO, Oronsaye F, Okonofua FE. Why Nigerian Adolescents seek abortion rather than contraception: evidence from focus group Discussions. Int Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2011;27(2):77-81.
Falola T, Heaton MM. HIV illness and African wellbeing. Rochester: University Rochester Press; 2007: 1-62.
Ayiga N. Rates and Predictors of Consistent condom use by people living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral treatment in Uganda. J Health Popul Nutr. 2012;30(3):270–80.
National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and ICF International. Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2013. Abuja, Nigeria, and Rockville, Maryland, USA; 2014: NPC and ICF International.
Browne FA, Wechsberg WM, Bowling JM, Luseno WK. Correlates of male condom use skills among high risk women in South Africa. Journal of Sex Research 2012;49(2-3):255–63.
Part K, Rahu K, Rahu M, Karro H. Gender differences in factors associated with sexual intercourse among Estonian adolescents. Scand J Public Health. 2011;39(4):389-95.
Imo CK, Isiugo-Abanihe UC, Chikezie DC. Perception of childbearing women on gender roles in reproductive decision making and under-five children health status in Abia State, Nigeria. Gender and Behaviour. 2016;14(1):7040-56.
Adamczyk A, Greif M. Education and Risky Sex in Africa: unraveling the link between women’s education and reproductive health behaviour in Kenya. Social Sci Res. 2011;40(2):654–66.
Haberland NA. The case for addressing gender and power in sexuality and HIV education: A comprehensive review of evaluation studies. Guttmacker Institute. 2015;4(3):311–51.
Osuafor GN, Mturi AJ. Attitudes towards sexual control within conjugal union in the era of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Mahikeng, South Africa. Afr Pop Stud. 2014;28(1):538–50.
National Population Commission (NPC) (Nigeria). Population figures for Nigeria States for 2006 Population and Housing Census. Abuja NPC.
