PERCEPTIONS, PRACTICES AND PROBLEMS RELATING TO SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG THE ELDERLY IN IBADAN NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Most studies on sexual behaviour in Nigeria focused on young people and adults with limited attention paid to the elderly. There is dearth of information about elderly persons' reproductive health challenges, including sexual dysfunction, and their involvement in risky sexual activities. This study therefore determined the perceptions sexual practices, and reproductive health problems of the elderly in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Oyo State Nigeria. The study which was descriptive and cross sectional in design consisted of 400 male and female elderly persons aged 65 years and above who were selected using a four-stage sampling technique. A validated questionnaire, which was designed from findings obtained from six Focus Group Discussions (FGD), three each for male and female participants, was used to obtain information from the participants. The FGDs were recorded on audio-tape, transcribed and themes were developed. The data from the questionnaires were analysed using descriptive and Chi-square statistics. The participants' mean age was 71.8 ( 6.7) years. Slightly more than half.(50.5%) of them were males. A majority were Yoruba (91.3%) and Christians (63%). A total of 76.2% males and 12.6% females had their last sexual intercourse in the two years preceding the Study. A total of 25% of the participants had had sex with persons other than their spouses since the attained the age of 65 years. Among this subgroup that had extra-marital sex, very few (6.8%) used a condom. More males (5.3%) had females (1.5%) had used a condom during their last episode of extra-marital sex(p<0.05). The low level of condom use was attributed to the belief that condom is not necessary (34.5%) and the perceptions (50%) that condom is not meant for the elderly. Dearth of spouse (78.5%) and loneliness (80.8%) were the main reasons for engaging in extra-marital sexual relationship. Majority (68.8%) of the participants were of the view that having sex with a virgin could serve as immunity against sexually transmitted infections including Human Immunodeficiency Virus, those who held this view comprised 65.1% males and 34.9% females. More than half of the males (56.4%) and females (66.7%) agreed that indulgence in sexual intercourse has a healing effect on the elderly. approximately 31.3% of the males reported early ejaculation and erectile dysfunction as the major sexual problems, while inadequate vaginal lubrication (10.3%) and menopausal changes (26.5%) were the main sexual problems reported by the females. Majority of the FGD participants across both sexes said that having difficulties in reaching orgasm and painful sex were other sexual and reproductive health problems of the elderly. There was unanimity of opinion among male and female FGD participants that sexual dysfunction among this population was as a result of ageing. An appreciable proportion of the elderly were involved in risky sexual practices. Therefore, health education intervention programmes such as training on safe sex practices and counselling services are needed to address the problem.