Health-seeking behaviour of STD patients in an urban area of southwest Nigeria: an exploratory study

Sexually transmitted disease patients of health institutions in Ado-Ekiti responded to questionnaires on the quality of STDs treatment; four-fifths of the institutions are privately owned. Gonorrhoea and syphilis are the major STDs reported by the respondents and treated by the health-care providers. Other types are candida, dysuria, lymphogranuloma venereum, chancroid, trichomoniasis and STD-related problems. The symptoms noticed by the respondents are pain, burning sensation, discharges, itching and open sores. Most sought treatment within seven days of noticing the symptoms. Most sought treatment from other health providers before coming to the health institutions where they were interviewed. Respondents were attended by modern doctors during their search for a cure, but in most cases, only by physical examination because laboratory facilities were non-existent or inadequate. Treatment was mainly chemotherapy, involving antibiotics and analgesics. In addition to chemotherapy, the health providers counselled the patients. Most respondents reported that they were satisfied with the quality of treatment. Results are discussed and recommendations are made.