Age of Sexual Debut and Patterns of Sexual Behaviour in Two Local Government Areas in Southern Nigeria

The study examines the age of sexual debut and patterns of sexual behavior in Ugep, Cross River State, and Badeku and Olunloyo in Oyo State. A survey of households and individuals was conducted in the three communities; qualitative data were also collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. The median age of first sex among never-married males and females were 17 years and 18 years respectively; more than one in five adolescents have had sex before age 16. Nevermarried males and females initiated sex earlier than ever-married, older respondents. That 14 percent of married men keep other sexual partners besides their wives is indicative of substantial extramarital relationship; also 12 percent of never-married male respondents with regular sex partners have other sexual partners. Condom use is fairly high, especially in sexual relations involving non-regular partners. The higher likelihood of alcohol use in sexual liaison with non-regular sex partners is suggestive of high prevalence of transactional sex and spontaneous or unplanned sex under the influence of alcohol, with their implications for the spread of HIV and AIDS. The study underscores the need for adolescent sexual and reproductive health education and behaviour change communication among all segments of the population and inculcation of values less favourable for the spreadof sexually transmitted infection.(Afr J Reprod Health 2012; 16[4]: 81-94)

Methodological Issues in HIV-Related Social Research in Nigeria

This paper is about methodological issues in a community-wide study in Nigeria on an infectious disease, namely HIV/AIDS. The study was  designed to ascertain the risk factors that contribute to the spread of  HIV/AIDS and how that can be tackled in order to bring about behavioural change. The research team believed at the onset that a study on the  interplay between HIV/AIDS and sensitive issues like sexual mores and  sexuality requires much more than a straightjacket social science method, such as simply doing a cross-section study and/or using interview  schedule. This paper reviews the essence of cross-disciplinary approach;  team building; as well as the use of a non-participatory observational  approach in data collection. It also shows why ample consideration was given to ethical issues which are often glossed over in social research in developing countries. The lessons from the study underscore the  methodological imperatives in social research that focus on sensitive  issues in largely non-literate context like Nigeria. Although there are  formidable challenges in community-based studies in largely non-literate societies, nevertheless they could easily be surmounted if there are ample time and resources to navigate the various sticking points. Afr J Reprod Health 2013 (Special Edition); 17[4]: 146-155).Keywords: Qualitative methodology; Ethics in social research; Cross-disciplinary; Cross sectional and semi-longitudinal; Team building;  ethnographical; uni-disciplinar

Methodological Issues in HIV-Related Social Research in Nigeria

This paper is about methodological issues in a community-wide study in Nigeria on an infectious disease, namely HIV/AIDS. The study was designed to ascertain the risk factors that contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS and how that can be tackled in order to bring about behavioural change. The research team believed at the onset that a study on the interplay between HIV/AIDS and sensitive issues like sexual mores and sexuality requires much more than a straightjacket social science method, such as simply doing a cross-section study and/or using interview schedule. This paper reviews the essence of cross-disciplinary approach; team building; as well as the use of a non-participatory observational approach in data collection. It also shows why ample consideration was given to ethical issues which are often glossed over in social research in developing countries. The lessons from the study underscore the methodological imperatives in social research that focus on sensitive issues in largely non-literate context like Nigeria. Although there are formidable challenges in community-based studies in largely non-literate societies, nevertheless they could easily be surmounted if there are ample time and resources to navigate the various sticking points.Ce document porte sur les questions méthodologiques dans une étude dans des communautés au Nigeria sur une maladie infectieuse, à savoir le VIH/SIDA. L'étude a été conçue pour déterminer les facteurs de risque qui contribuent à la propagation du VIH/SIDA et comment cela peut être abordée afin de susciter des changements de comportement. L'équipe de recherche a été convaincue au commencement de l’étude qu’une étude sur l'interaction entre le VIH/sida et les questions sensibles comme les moeurs sexuelles et la sexualité exige beaucoup plus qu'une méthode de sciences sociales de camisole de force, comme faisant simplement une étude de section et / ou en utilisant grille d'entrevue. Ce document passe en revue l'essentiel de l'approche interdisciplinaire; l'esprit d'équipe, ainsi que l'utilisation d'une approche d'observation non participative dans la collecte de données. Il montre également pourquoi ample considération a été accordée aux questions éthiques qui sont souvent passés sous silence dans la recherche sociale dans les pays en développement. Les leçons tirées de l'étude soulignent les impératifs méthodologiques dans la recherche sociale qui se concentrent sur des questions sensibles dans le contexte largement analphabète comme le Nigeria. Bien qu'il existe de grands défis dans les études communautaires dans les sociétés largement analphabètes, néanmoins ils pourraient facilement être surmontés s’il y a suffisamment de temps et de ressources pour naviguer dans les différents points de friction

Non-Traumatic Anterior Dislocation of a Total Knee Replacement Associated with Neurovascular Injury

Prosthetic total knee replacements rarely dislocate. When dislocation does occur, it is usually in a posterior direction in association with a posterior stabilised, cruciate-sacrificing prosthesis. Neurovascular injury is unusual. In this report, we describe a case of anterior dislocation of a cruciate-retaining total knee replacement in a 67-year-old woman. The dislocation occurred in the absence of overt trauma and resulted in severe neurovascular injury