Sexual assault among women is an important health problem in this environment. There is need for hospital based management protocol.

We assessed the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) to women living with HIV/AIDS in an antiretroviral clinic in Nigeria. Three hundred sixty respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Sixty percent were married, of which 24% had disclosed HIV status to their partner. About a quarter (23.6%) had experienced IPV since HIV diagnosis. Types of violence experienced were physical violence (17%), emotional violence (21%), and sexual violence (2%). Predictors of IPV included having a younger aged partner, disclosing status, and partner's alcohol use (p = .001). Suggestions to prevent IPV include increasing public awareness and family counseling.

BackgroundWorldwide heterosexual sex is the most common mode of HIV transmission, with the marital heterosexual route becoming a major contributor in sub-Sahara Africa. This study examined the role of inappropriate HIV status disclosure, after diagnosis, on marital sexual experiences of HIV positive women.MethodsThe study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. An interviewer administered questionnaire that elicited information about HIV status disclosure to partners, sexual experiences, condom use and parity was administered to 122 married women living with HIV/AIDS. Participants were referred from peripheral health centres to receive comprehensive HIV care at the State Specialist Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria.ResultsMean age (SD) of respondents was 33.8 (8.9) years. Only 23.8% of partners had HIV screening, with 3.3% being HIV positive. A majority (62%) of respondents reported experiencing marital sex deprivation since their partners became aware of their HIV status. There was a reported rejection (74.3%) of condom use by partners during sexual intercourse. Fear of becoming infected (85.7%) and blaming the women for their positive status (85.7%) were the main reasons the respondents gave for being sexually deprived by their partners.ConclusionInappropriate status disclosure due to poor HIV counseling and testing (HCT) practices resulted in sexual deprivation of married HIV positive women. Adequate training and retraining of health care workers on HCT and HIV status disclosure will reduce experience of sexual deprivation among married HIV positive women.

BackgroundStudies in Nigeria have shown that the main route of HIV transmission is sexual intercourse and that effective condom use protects people against infection. The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of condom use among clients of a friendly HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) Centre in Osogbo southwestern Nigeria.MethodsThis was a review of the HCT Centre records from 2006 to 2010 retrieving socio-demographic information, sexual behaviour, condom use and result of HIV testing. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsOne thousand nine hundred and twenty-one client records were reviewed. The mean age of the study population was 35.4 (SD 10.5) years. The majority (53%) of the respondents were females, 232 (12%) were HIV positive, and 38.2% had multiple sexual partners. Only heterosexual vaginal sex was reported among the clients. Overall 45.2% of the clients did not use a condom in their last sexual act. Factors identified to be significantly associated with non-use of condoms were; younger age, having had higher education and positive HIV status.ConclusionUnprotected heterosexual intercourse was common among the study population, indicating a need to step up HIV preventive programme through behavioural change communication strategy.

BackgroundCigarette smoking has been linked to several cancers worldwide. The characteristics of smokers have not been well documented among Nigerians.ObjectiveThis study assessed the prevalence and characteristics of cigarette smokers among the residents of Osogbo, in southwestern Nigeria.MethodThe study, a population based cross-sectional study of randomly selected consenting adult residents of Osogbo, was conducted in September of 2011. Data was collected using a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire on cigarette smoking.ResultsA total of 759 respondents were interviewed. Mean age was 42.1 ± 12.5 years. There were 364 (48%) males and 395 (52%) females. About 22% had ever smoked while 8.7% were current smokers, smoking an average of 22.9 ± 10.1 cigarettes per day. Males constituted the majority of current smokers. Most smokers (71%) were introduced to smoking by friends and ill health was the most often reported reason for quitting.ConclusionCigarette smoking is commonly practiced among males in the studied population and awareness creation and advocacy should be conducted throughout the city in order to inform current smokers about the hazards and cumulative effects inherent in smoking.