Abstract
Adolescents with disability like other adolescents engage in sexual relationship to express their sexuality without adequate
knowledge and skill to cope with the consequences of their actions. A Cross sectional study conducted among 140 adolescents
with physical disabilities in four handicapped schools in Osun state South West, Nigeria had 56.4 % male and 43.6 % female
respondents. Mean age is 16 years. Poor knowledge of sexuality issues such as: unprotected sex, teenage pregnancy, STIs/HIV/AIDS
and contraceptive awareness were evident. Age of sexual debut is 15 years, 54.6 % had sexual intercourse, and commonest source
of sexuality information is friend, while the most preferred source is parents who are ill-equipped to play their role as
educators. 70.1 % had at least one boy/girlfriend and 29.9 % had multiple sexual partners at a time and engage in multiple
sexual relationships. 12.8 % do not take any action to prevent pregnancy, those who do, use male condom. 24.6 % have been
forced into sex by different categories of persons with different outcomes; teenage pregnancy, abortion and life birth. A
few exchange sex for gifts from strangers. No access to HIV counseling and testing, hence treatment of HIV among this group
is difficult and thus posing significant public health concern.
knowledge and skill to cope with the consequences of their actions. A Cross sectional study conducted among 140 adolescents
with physical disabilities in four handicapped schools in Osun state South West, Nigeria had 56.4 % male and 43.6 % female
respondents. Mean age is 16 years. Poor knowledge of sexuality issues such as: unprotected sex, teenage pregnancy, STIs/HIV/AIDS
and contraceptive awareness were evident. Age of sexual debut is 15 years, 54.6 % had sexual intercourse, and commonest source
of sexuality information is friend, while the most preferred source is parents who are ill-equipped to play their role as
educators. 70.1 % had at least one boy/girlfriend and 29.9 % had multiple sexual partners at a time and engage in multiple
sexual relationships. 12.8 % do not take any action to prevent pregnancy, those who do, use male condom. 24.6 % have been
forced into sex by different categories of persons with different outcomes; teenage pregnancy, abortion and life birth. A
few exchange sex for gifts from strangers. No access to HIV counseling and testing, hence treatment of HIV among this group
is difficult and thus posing significant public health concern.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s11195-012-9270-8
- Authors
- Taiwo Modupe Oladunni, Center for Gender and Social Policy Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, P.O. Box 1092, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
- Journal Sexuality and Disability
- Online ISSN 1573-6717
- Print ISSN 0146-1044