Impact of post-abortion counselling in a semi-urban town of Western Nigeria.
This study is designed to evaluate the impact of post-abortion counselling in bringing about changes in sexual behaviour among patients who had treatment for an induced abortion and/or its complication in the department of gynaecology and obstetrics of Wesley Guild Hospital Ilesa and Folasola Specialist Hospital between January 1999 and December 2001. A structured questionnaire designed to evaluate the impact of counselling was administered to 108 patients, who formed part of 238 patients who had undergone induced abortion and who benefitted from the behavioural contract counselling technique. The results showed that the percentage of women using contraception increased from 30 (27.8%) to 53 (49.1%) at the time of interview. The number of subjects with multiple sexual partners fell from about 62 (58%) to 12 (11%). About 24 (45%) found access to contraception difficult. Major factors influencing contraceptive usage and change in behaviour include suffering experienced at the time of termination 26 (49%) and knowledge of contraception 19 (36%). The study advocates post-abortion counselling as a tool to increasing contraceptive usage in women and influencing behavioural changes positively towards health promotives measures.
Fasubaa
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OB
Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Perinatology, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ofasubaa@yahoo.com
Ojo
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D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003267:Contraception; D003376:Counseling; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D011247:Pregnancy; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health