ABSTRACT

Obstetric fistula is a preventable, treatable, but most often neglected medical condition, in which a woman constantly leaks urine, feaces from a hole created between the birth canal and the urinary bladder and/or rectum as a result of delayed labour. Some studies have noted that obstetric fistula is a condition which deprives its victims of their human rights because of stigmatization from their family, friends and society at large. Knowledge on the condition has, however, been noted to reduce this stigma. People who have adequate information about the condition are said to be more likely to support victims and assist in their reintegration into society. Since women are mostly affected by this condition, the researcher sought to find out their knowledge on it and their attitudes towards accessing health information in general. The Knowledge Gap Theory and Health Belief Models were adopted for the study to find out if there were differences in knowledge on OF between rural and urban women and to provide reasons that make people make a positive behavioural change.

A triangulation of research methods was used: interviewer-administered survey of women in two rural communities (rural and urban) and in-depth interviews of health practitioners, opinion leader and an obstetric fistula victim.

Results from data collected indicated that whether a woman was fromruaral or urban area was a major determinant on their knowledge on obstetric fistula. Women in urban areas were more likely to know about the disease condition than their counterparts in the rural area. Again, while a woman‟s level of education affected her knowledge on obstetric fistula, her socio-economic status generally, was less likely to determine whether she knew about the condition or not. The study also revealed that an individual‟s perception of susceptibility and severity to a disease condition does not translate into accessing information on it.