PREVALENCE OF BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE ATTENDING GENERAL HOSPITALS IN SOKOTO STATE

ABSTRACT This study investigated prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) among women of reproductive age attending general hospitals in Sokoto State. Six research questions and five hypotheses guided the study. Cross-sectional survey design was adopted.The population of this study comprised of 1,230,388 women of reproductive age (15-49years) attending general hospitals in Sokoto State and sample of 500 were selected using multi-stage sampling technique. Checklist (CH) adopted from Amsel was used as instrument for data collection. . Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient r, t-test, ANOVA and stepwise regression were used to analyze the data. The study found that the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis among women of reproductive age attending general hospitals in Sokoto State was 64.5%. Women of reproductive age attending general hospitals in Sokoto State between age brackets 15-34 years, non-formal educational level, married, housewife and who lives in urban area had higher prevalence of BV. Also age, level of education, marital status, and location of residence of women attending general hospitals in Sokoto State was not significantly associated with prevalence of BV (p˃ 0.05) but significantly associated with occupation (p˂ 0.05). . The implications of this study are that there might be increase risk of gynaecological morbidity and adverse obstetric outcomes such as preterm delivery and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). The study therefore, recommended among others that bacterial vaginosis test should be made compulsory to women of reproductive age attending general hospitals in Sokoto State. Keywords : Prevalence , Bacterial vaginosis, Women of Reproductive Age, General hospital , Sokoto State .