%0 Journal Article
%T Assessment of the Reproductive Health Status of Adult Prison Inmates in Osun State, Nigeria
%A A. I. Olugbenga-Bello
%A O. A. Adeoye
%A K. G. Osagbemi
%J International Journal of Reproductive Medicine
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/451460
%X Introduction. All over the world, numbers of prisoners have being increasing with majority in the sexually active age group; hence diseases such as HIV, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis are more prevalent in prisons than in the community. This study thus aims to provide an overview of the reproductive health status of adult prison inmates in Osun State. Methodology. This is a cross-sectional study among adult inmates in Osun State prison. Data was obtained from 209 selected respondents using pre-tested semi structured questionnaire. Result. Majority of the respondents were in the age group 20¨C39 years with mean age of . 73.2% are aware of STIs, 93.3% HIV/AIDS and 81.3% contraception. 54.6% had multiple sexual partners before incarceration and 23.3% of them used condom always. 89.5% were not involved in any sexual practice inside the prison, 9.1% masturbated and 1.4% had homosexual partners. Less than 6% had access to male condoms gotten from prison staffs and prison clinics. Conclusion and recommendation. No comprehensive reproductive health care system to address reproductive health services in prisons. RespondentsĄŻ knowledge about STIs, HIV/AIDS and contraception is good, but their condom usage is low compared with the knowledge. Government should put in place specific reproductive health programmes in prisons. 1. Introduction In recent times, there has been a marked increase in the number of prisoners in many countries around the world. According to the World Prison Population List, prison populations have increased by 73% over a relatively short period of time [1]. As in any human population, there are several health problems confronting inmates living in prisons all over the world, these include both physical and mental illnesses. Prisons are not closed off worlds; many people (prison staffs, lawyers, social workers, health personnel, the clergy, and prisonersĄŻ family members) enter and leave prisons every day. Many prisoners themselves stay only a short period in prison and return to their families. It is estimated, for instance, that although the worldwide prison population is over 9 million, the annual turnover is closer to 30 million [1]. This high movement of people into and out of prisons makes the possibility of infections acquired in prison being transmitted outside very high [2]. In spite of this, gap still exists globally in the provision of health care to prisoners, especially with respect to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and other blood borne infections [3¨C6]. It has been documented that communicable diseases such as HIV,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijrmed/2013/451460/