Sex-negotiation strategies and safer-sex practices among married women in South-western Nigeria

Adverse reproductive health outcomes such as unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, are significant reproductive-health challenges of contemporary Nigerian women. Available statistics indicate that only 31% of currently married Nigerian women consistently use a modern family planning method. This study examined the strategies used by married women in negotiating sex with their partners, with the underlying hypothesis that safer sex practices are related to women's sex negotiation skills. Study participants were 167 married women selected by convenience sampling from two towns in Osun State, Nigeria. A self-report questionnaire was administered on participants to collect information on their practice of safe sex as well as strategies used to negotiate sex with partners. Findings from descriptive analysis of data revealed that only 32% of women had the ability to comfortably discuss sexual matters with their husbands. The most widely used strategy for negotiating safer sex was bargaining, followed by disengagement and begging. It was also found that safer-sex practices by women were not significantly related to their sex negotiation skills. The findings bring into focus the need to understand women's patterns of sex negotiation before their exposure to interventions aimed at addressing their sexual and reproductive health challenges.