BackgroundContraceptive use has numerous health benefits such as preventing unplanned pregnancies, ensuring optimum spacing between births, reducing maternal and child mortality, and improving the lives of women and children in general. This study examines the level of contraceptive use, its determinants, reasons for non-use of contraception among women in the reproductive age group (18–49 years) in two southwestern Nigerian states.MethodsThe study adopted an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data from 809 participants selected using a 3-stage cluster random sampling technique. We also conducted 46 in-depth interviews. In order to investigate the association between the socio-demographic variables and use of contraceptive methods, we estimated the binary logistic regression models.ResultsThe findings indicated that knowledge of any methods of contraception was almost universal among the participants. The rates of ever use and current use of contraception was 80 and 66.6%, respectively. However, only 43.9% of the participants had ever used any modern contraceptive methods, considered to be more reliable. The fear of side effects of modern contraceptive methods drove women to rely on less effective traditional methods (withdrawal and rhythm methods). Some women employed crude and unproven contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancies.ConclusionOur findings show that the rate of contraceptive use was high in the study setting. However, many women chose less effective traditional contraceptive methods over more effective modern contraceptive methods due to fear of side effects of the latter. Patient education on the various options of modern contraceptives, their side effects and management would be crucial towards expanding the family planning services in the study setting.

Background Consistent condom use is central to the prevention of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially among young adults. This study drew from a cross-sectional survey of two Nigerian universities to determine the level of consistent condom use, explored the determinants of condom use consistency and reasons for inconsistent condom use. Methods We adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design, which involves the recruitment of 800 male and female students using stratified random sampling. Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression models were used to examine the factors associated with consistent condom use among a final sample of 498 students who engaged in sex in the last year preceding the study. Results Only 38.6% of sexually active participants ( n = 498) used condoms consistently in the previous year. High condom self-efficacy score (AOR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.58–3.64), discussion of HIV/STIs with sexual partner (AOR: 1.91; 95%CI: 1.29–2.83), knowing partner’s HIV status (AOR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.02–2.16), being students of university located in a high HIV prevalence area (AOR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.92–4.28) and engaging in sex with only steady partner (AOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.17–2.60) were associated with a higher odds of consistent condom use. Trust, unavailability of condoms, dislike of condoms and a perception that condoms reduced sexual pleasure were the main reasons for inconsistent use of condoms. Conclusion The study found a low level of consistent condom use among study participants. Counselling young adults in Nigeria on condom self-efficacy, providing condoms on campuses and encouraging the discussion of sexually transmitted infections with sexual partners are central to improving the level of consistent condom use among Nigerian university students. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7543-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This article brings together some of the findings of a three-year study of the community dimensions of upstream petroleum operations in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil exporter. It examines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of transnational petroleum-producing companies, focusing on the immediate and long-term ethnographic and social consequences of such practices on the local communities where oil extraction takes place. The article examines, more importantly, how such practices and the identified consequences intersect with the regulatory/institutional framework governing upstream petroleum operations in Nigeria. By shifting attention away from the dominant, ethnic view of conflict and instability in the country of study, and looking at specific instances of ethnographic and social crisis associated with corporate social responsibility, the article offers some insights into some present-day challenges to sustainable development in Africa, and unveils an important present-day mechanism through which the image of resource-rich African countries as strife-torn is entrenched.

BackgroundEmergency contraception (EC) can significantly reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the increasing awareness of EC among educated young women in Nigeria, the rate of utilisation remains low. This study therefore explores the main barriers to the use of EC among female university students by analysing their knowledge of emergency contraception, methods ever used, perceived efficacy, and its acceptability.MethodsThis paper brings together the findings from several focus groups (N = 5) and in-depth interviews (N = 20) conducted amongst unmarried female undergraduate students in two Nigerian universities.ResultsParticipants considered the use of condom and abstinence as the most effective methods of preventing unplanned pregnancy. However, many participants were misinformed about emergency contraception. Generally, participants relied on unconventional and unproven ECs; Ampiclox, “Alabukun”, salt water solution, and lime and potash and perceived them to be effective in preventing unplanned pregnancies. Furthermore, respondents’ narratives about methods of preventing unwanted pregnancies revealed that inadequate information on emergency contraception, reliance on unproven crude contraceptive methods, and misconception about modern contraception constitute barriers to the use of emergency contraception.ConclusionsThe findings suggested that female university students are misinformed about emergency contraception and their reliance on unproven ECs constitutes a barrier to the use of approved EC methods. These barriers have serious implications for prevention of unplanned pregnancies in the cohort. Behavioural interventions targeting the use of unproven emergency contraceptive methods and misperceptions about ECs would be crucial for this cohort in Nigeria.

Despite the recent advances in biomedical preventive strategies, young adults—especially adolescent girls— continue to be disproportionately at risk of acquiring HIV. To avert this trend, it is critical that access to HIV preventive strategies, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis be expanded, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where young adults are known to engage in risky sexual practices. This study examined awareness levels and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) among Nigerian university students.A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 800 students selected using stratified random sampling at 2 Nigerian universities. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis on 784 complete responses.The levels of awareness of PrEP and PEP were 18.9% and 25.4%, respectively. Ever tested for human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] (AOR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.04–2.42) and knowledge of partner's HIV status (AOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.25–2.79) were the significant determinants of awareness to PrEP. In contrast, only ever tested for HIV (AOR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.02–2.19), knowledge of partner's HIV status (AOR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.07–2.24), ever used condoms (AOR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.04–2.62), and nude exchanges (AOR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.13–2.31) were independent determinants of awareness of PEP. Only a few students had seen (5.6%) or used (1.5%) any prophylaxes.The study findings indicate a low level of awareness and use of PrEP and PEP. To ensure no one is left behind in the goal of elimination of new HIV infections, intervention to expand access to these preventive strategies is needed in the study settings.

BackgroundThe vulnerabilities of young women of low socio-economic status and those with little or no formal education tend to dominate the discourse on unplanned pregnancy, unsafe abortion and emergency contraception (EC) in sub-Saharan Africa. This article draws on a survey conducted among female undergraduate students to shed light on sexual behaviour and the dynamics of emergency contraceptive use among this cohort.MethodsThe survey involved 420 female undergraduate students drawn using a multistage sampling technique, while a self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Univariate and bivariate analyses were applied to examine the factors associated with the use of emergency contraception.ResultsOf the 176 female students who reported being sexually active in the year preceding the survey, only 38.6% reported the use of condom during the entire year. Of those who reported unplanned pregnancy anxiety n = 94, about 30.1% used EC, 20.4% used non-EC pills as EC, while others reported having used no EC. A few respondents (n = 3) had terminated a pregnancy under unsafe conditions. Awareness of EC (p < 0.001), knowledge of timing of EC (p = 0.001), perceived risk of unplanned pregnancy (p < 0.001), and level of study (p = 0.013), were significantly correlated with the use of EC.ConclusionThe study revealed that educated youths engaged in high-risk sexual activities and also, sought recourse to unproven and unsafe contraceptive methods. Poor knowledge of EC methods and timing of use, as well as wrong perception about EC side effects, are barriers to the utilisation of EC for the prevention of unplanned pregnancy among the study participants.

BackgroundThe reasons for low utilisation of maternal health services in settings where the user-fee removal policy has been implemented continue to generate scholarly debates. Evidence of whether user-fee removal benefits the poor women in underserved settings is scanty and inconsistent. This article examines use of maternal health care services in the context of free maternal healthcare and profiles the beneficiaries of user-fee removal.MethodsThe study adopted a descriptive design. A three-stage cluster sampling method was used to select a representative sample of 1227 women who gave birth between 2011 and 2015. Questionnaires were administered using a face-to-face interview approach and data generated were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsThe analysis shows that the use of maternal healthcare services has improved considerably in North Central and Southwestern Nigeria. While socioeconomic and geographical inequality in the use of maternal healthcare services appear to be disappearing in Southwestern Nigeria, it appears to be widening in North Central Nigeria. The findings indicate that 33.6% of women reported to have benefitted from the free child-delivery programme; however, substantial variation exists across the two regions. The proportion of beneficiaries of user-fee removal policy was highest in urban areas (35.9%), among women belonging to the middle income category (38.3%), among women who gave birth in primary health centres (63.1%) and among women who resided in communities where there was availability of health facilities (37.2%).ConclusionThe study concludes that low coverage of the free maternal health programme, especially among women of low socioeconomic status residing in underserved settings is among the reasons for persistent poor maternal health outcomes in the context of free maternal healthcare. A model towards improving maternal health in underserved settings, especially in North Central Nigeria, would entail provisioning of health facilities as well as focusing on implementing equitable maternal health policies.

BackgroundHealth care visits during pregnancy, childbirth and after childbirth may be crucial in expanding the uptake of contraceptive care in resource-poor settings. However, little is known about how health care visits influence the uptake of modern contraception in Nigeria. The focus of this paper was to examine how health care visits influence the use of contraceptives among parous women in a medically underserved setting.MethodsThe study adopted a descriptive survey design. Data was collected from 411 women who gave birth between 2010 and 2015 selected through a two-stage cluster random sampling technique. Health care visits for antenatal care services, childbirth, postnatal care and modern contraceptive were dichotomised (yes, no). Descriptive analyses were performed, and percentages, frequencies and means were reported. Multiple logistic regressions were computed, and odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.ResultsKnowledge of all contraceptive methods was lowest among women who reside in rural areas. Health care visits for antenatal care (UOR 4.5; 95% CI 2.0–10.5), childbirth (UOR2.1; 95% CI 1.4–3.2) and postnatal care services (UOR 2.3; 95% CI 1.5–3.5) independently predict ever use of any contraceptive methods. Likewise, health care visits for antenatal care (UOR 5.6; 95% CI 2.1–14.8), childbirth (UOR 2.3; 95% CI 1.5–3.6) and postnatal care services (UOR 2.8; 95% CI 1.8–4.5) were independent predictors of current use of modern contraceptive methods. In the adjusted model, health care visits for antenatal care services (AOR 3.2; 95% CI 1.1–8.8) were significantly associated with the use of modern contraceptive methods.ConclusionHealth care visits significantly predict the use of modern contraceptive methods. Expanding access to health care services would potentially increase contraceptive use among childbearing women in the medically underserved settings.