Condom use with sex workers and abstinence behaviour among men in Nigeria
Lawoyin, T.O.
Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 124(5): 230-233
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 1466-4240 PMID: 15493784 DOI: 10.1177/146642400412400521Document Number: 251919
An exploratory, community-based study was conducted in Nigeria , to assess condom use among married men when with commercial sex workers (CSWs) and abstinence behaviour when their wives were unavailable for sex. Out of the 3178 married respondents, 1755 (55.2%) had ever used condoms. Of them, 1296 (73.8%) resided in urban areas, while 459 (26.2%) resided in rural areas. 137 men had used CSWs in the 6 months prior to the study, and only 63 (46%) of them had used a condom at the last visit. Young age (<30 years) was the only predictor of condom use when with CSWs (P=0.03). The predictors of abstinence behaviour when the wife was unavailable for sex included: primary and secondary education, young age of the wife, low occupational status and monogamy. It is suggested that national HIV/AIDS control programmes should address men's risk-taking behaviour, empowering women to negotiate condom use and reduce long abstinence periods. Continued efforts should be made to reach sex workers and to make condoms much more widely available, acceptable and affordable, especially in rural areas.