Pattern of sexual behaviour and condom use among patients attending Genitourinary medicine clinic in a Nigerian tertiary health facility

Abstract

Background: Sexual behaviour deals with all things relating to sex, conception and sexual satisfaction. A number of sexual behaviours are considered high-risk as they are associated with increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections.

Objectives: The study aimed at determining pattern of sexual behaviour as well as condom use among patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Materials and method: This was a hospital-based prospective study involving a total of 204 patients who received treatment for STIs at our Genitourinary medicine clinic from February 2017 to April 2023. Data obtained were analyzed with IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics) version 25 software with level of statistical significance set at 0.05.

Results: The overall mean age at coitarche was 19.2±3.6 years. The male patients had a significantly higher number of sexual partners, ranging from 1 to 50, compared to the female patients (p <0.001). Majority of the study participants (82.5%) had used condom during sex in the past, the use was occasional in 63.1%, always in 20.2% while 16.7% of the patients never used condom during sex. Meanwhile, only 39.6% used condom during the last sexual intercourse and the use was significant among age group 10-29 years compared to others.

Conclusion: There is need to intensify efforts on sex education, safe sexual practices as well as condom training and its consistent use in order to achieve a sound sexual health.