Maternal health care services utilisation in the context of 'Abiye' (safe motherhood) programme in Ondo State, Nigeria.

Background: The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) of 2008 show that Ondo State had the worst maternal outcomes in the South Western region of Nigeria. To address this problem, the "Abiye" (safe motherhood) programme-which included community engagement, health system strengthening and user fee removal- was implemented by the state government. We assessed the use of maternal health care services and its determinants at 5 years after the implementation of this programme using a population-based survey.

Factors associated with consistent condom use: a cross-sectional survey of two Nigerian universities.

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.

Concerns about contracting HIV, knowing partners' HIV sero-status and discussion of HIV/STI with sexual partners as determinants of uptake of HIV testing.

Worldwide, adolescents and young adults (aged 15-25 years) account for the highest proportion of new HIV infections, yet the uptake of HIV testing among this cohort is sub-optimal. Understanding factors that predict the uptake of HIV testing among adolescents and young adults is critical for designing effective and relevant interventions to increase testing. Drawing from the psychosocial constructs of the Health Belief Model, the study examined the effects of HIV risk perception, discussion of HIV with partners and knowing partners' HIV status on HIV testing uptake among adolescents and young adults in two Nigerian universities.

Awareness and use of pre-exposure and postexposure prophylaxes among Nigerian university students: Findings from a cross-sectional survey.

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.

Maternal health care visits as predictors of contraceptive use among childbearing women in a medically underserved state in Nigeria.

Background: Health 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.

Determinants of condom use among parous women in North Central and South Western Nigeria: a cross-sectional survey.

Objectives: There appears to be an increasing trend of condom use for pregnancy prevention among nulliparous and multiparous women in developing countries. Drawing from a cross-sectional survey involving 1227 women selected using a 3-stage cluster random sampling technique, the study examines the rates of condom use and its determinants among parous women in three states in North Central and South Western Nigeria.

Results: The rate of condom use among parous women was 13.

Use of traditional and modern contraceptives among childbearing women: findings from a mixed methods study in two southwestern Nigerian states.

Background: Contraceptive 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.

Methods: The study adopted an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect data from 809 participants selected using a 3-stage cluster random sampling technique.

Who benefits from free institutional delivery? evidence from a cross sectional survey of North Central and Southwestern Nigeria.

Background: The 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.

Unplanned pregnancy-risks and use of emergency contraception: a survey of two Nigerian Universities.

Background: The 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.

Methods: The survey involved 420 female undergraduate students drawn using a multistage sampling technique, while a self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection.

Use of non-emergency contraceptive pills and concoctions as emergency contraception among Nigerian University students: results of a qualitative study.

Background: Emergency 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.