PREVALENCE AND PERCEPTIONS OF FEMALE CONDOM AMONG FEMALE UNDERGRADUATES OF DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY ABRAKA, DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) crisis, the increase in other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and the continuing problem of unwanted pregnancies, necessitated new methods of barrier protection. Sexual lifestyles in higher educational institutions in Nigeria had been documented as featuring a high level of risky sexual behaviour. This study therefore assessed female undergraduates' knowledge on female condom as a contraceptive method and determined the effects of socio demographic characteristics on their knowledge, use and perceptions of the female condom in Delta State University Abraka campus, Delta State, Nigeria. The study was cross sectional in nature and involved 740 randomly selected female undergraduates in the institution. The study participants were selected from all the female hostels in the three sites of the Abraka campus using a self-administered questionnaire. Male undergraduates, postgraduates and non-students of the institution were excluded from this study. Data were analysed using descriptive, Chi square and logistic regression statistics with the aid of SPSS Statistical Software. The mean age of respondents was 20.9 years (SD = 2.8) and they were mostly from monogamous homes (72.3%). There were more 200 level students (33.2%) and majority(55.0%) were from the Faculty of Sciences. Regarding the female condom, 91.6 percent had heard about it and the leading source of information was their friends (63.6%). However, 44.3 percent had seen the female condom and 16.8% had ever used the device. During use, 69.1 percent reported that it felt good and 0.8 percent reported that it pained them. After use, 12.2 percent reported that they preferred the female condom while majority (43.1%) preferred the male condom. In addition, few respondents (37.6%) reported that they would be willing to use the female condom if introduced to them. Cross tabulations of variables revealed that position of respondents among mother's children was significant to ever heard of female condom (p=0.020). Also, age (p=0.046) and faculty of study (p=0.030) were the only significant variables to ever use of female condom with higher proportions of older and social science respondents reporting. Ethnic group and marital status were significant to respondents' willingness to use the device. However, all the variables reported for respondents' attitude of female condom, were significant (p<0.05) to ever use of the female condom. Similar results was recorded for respondents who would be willing to use the device (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis of ever use of female condom on variables revealed that younger respondents were 1.6 times less likely than older respondents were. Consequently, respondents in the Faculty of Arts were 2.0 times less likely compared to those from the Faculty of Social science. From the study, it is important to publicize female condom, which will help women overcome the initial barriers and motivate them to use the device. In addition, promotional strategies and training activities should be designed and implemented to increase awareness as well as make them willing to use the device in settings where valid alternatives to male condom use are necessary.