Assessing Psycho-Social Challenges Of Women With Vesico-Vagina Fistula At National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State

ABSTRACT

This study was on the Assessing Psychosocial Challenges of women with Vesico-Vagina Fistula

at National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Specifically, the three objectives of

the study were to; assess how VVF affect the emotional health of patients, determine how the

attitude of significant others affect their social health and determine some correlates of VVF

among the patients. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Reliability

coefficient of 0.73 was obtained using Spearman Brown’s prophesy formula. Thirty-five

participants who met the inclusion criteria were studied using convenience sampling method.

Instruments for data collection were a researcher developed focused group discussion guide and

questionnaire. Data obtained with the questionnaire and FGD were analyzed from a descriptive

perspective. Results obtained from the questionnaire were presented in Tables while FGD

excerpts were reported as quotation or paraphrases with narrative summaries presented in bar

charts. The correlation studies done using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation were reported

in Tables. The study showed that VVF affected patients emotional health because it led to

unhappiness, worries and shame, while the attitude of their significant others which most of them

reported as avoidance affected their social health because it led to avoidance of social functions,

separation from husband, deprivation of sex and lack of physical attention. Moreso, there was a

direct positive relationship between the avoidance attitude of significant others and the social

health of participants, as well as, a positive correlation between the patients feeling of

unhappiness and their avoidance of social cum religious functions. The researcher recommended

that more doctors and nurses should be encouraged to specialize in VVF repair to speed up

rehabilitation of patients, while more health campaigns, community outreaches and health

education through the mass media should be organized to facilitate the support of VVF patients

by their significant others.