Browsing by Author "Osuafor, Godswill N."

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    Patterns of Substance use and Its Predictors Among North-West University Students Mafikeng Campus
    (African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies, 2016) Osuafor, Godswill N.; Maputle, Sonto M.; Ayiga, Natal
    The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of substance use among university students in South Africa. A cross-sectional study of randomly selected 416 students was conducted. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The result of the study indicated that current alcohol use was reported by 67.5%, Cigarette, 21.4%, cannabis, 17.3% and glue 2.9%. Alcohol consumption was associated with sex, age, religious affiliation, home language, family influence, and substance experimentation. Sex and substance experimentation were predictors of cigarette smoking. Cannabis use was associated with respondent’s sociocultural group and family influence. There is need to strengthen the family structure of homes as present substance use is rooted in family influences. Educational programmes that emphasise the dangers of experimenting with substance to young people may have great potential in minimizing substance use.
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    Risky Sexual Behaviour Among Married and Cohabiting Women and its Implication for Sexually Transmitted Infections in Mahikeng, South Africa
    (Sexuality & Culture, 2016) Osuafor, Godswill N.; Ayiga, Natal
    Risky sexual behaviour continues to be the main means through which sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV are spread in South Africa. However few studies have assessed risky sexual behaviour among married and cohabiting women in this high HIV prevalence country. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the prevalence and identify the predictors of risky sexual behaviour among married and cohabiting women in Mahikeng Local Municipality where HIV is generalized. The study used cross-sectional mixed methods data obtained from 568 women responding to a survey and 33 women participating in in-depth interviews in 2012. All the women were aged 18–49 years, married or cohabiting and were residing in rural and urban areas of Mahikeng Local Municipality at the time of the study. The data was analyzed by the use of the Chi square statistic and a parsimonious binary logistic regression model, and the thematic content analysis method. The study found that 4 in 10 of the women experienced risky sexual behaviour, which was significantly predicted by being in marriage or cohabitation for\5 years, having a partner working in agriculture, government and mining sectors, having sex to achieve motherhood, having the perception by the women that they were unlikely to contract STIs, having the belief that partners have the right to use force to obtain sex and having partners who were unwilling to use condoms. All the above predictors were exacerbated by culturally sanctioned gender inequality and structural factors. The findings suggest that risky sexual behaviour is prevalent among married and cohabiting women in the study area which has serious implication for the marital transmission of STIs and HIV. We suggest interventions that enhance gender equality in sexual decisions and initiatives that encourage men to change their sexual beliefs and values.
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    Women’s educational attainment, empowerment and contraceptive use in six regions of Nigeria
    (IUSSP., 2017) Osuafor, Godswill N.; Ayiga, Natal
    Educational attainment and women empowerment play critical roles in contraceptive use and fertility outcomes. Nigeria has experienced progress in women’s educational development but this has not improved prevalence of contraceptive use. This paper examines the linkages between education, empowerment and contraceptive use from the fifth wave Demographic and Health survey (DHS). The study uses path-analysis to examine the pathway from educational attainment, empowerment on contraceptive use among sexually active women aged 15-49 in the six regions. Control variables are religion, household wealth, employment place of residence and number of living children. Our results show that education has positive effects on contraceptive use in all the six regions after controlling for other variables. Furthermore, there is a positive gradient between education and empowerment in all the regions except South East region. Empowerment was important in determining contraceptive use, but weak in North Central and South West regions. Increase in contraceptive prevalence (CPR) in general requires investing in education for all women and enhances empowerment by regional specific strategies.