15May 2017

ASSESSING REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND HELP SEEKING BEHAVIORS AMONG THE ELDERLY IN BAMENDA, CAMEROON

  • St Louis University Institute of health and Biomedical Science Bamenda, Cameroon.
  • Discipline of Public Health Medicine, Department of Nursing & Public Health, College of Health Sciences/
  • Department of Political Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban South Africa.
  • Under Privileged Children and Women Assistance (UPCAWA-SWEDEN), Buea, Cameroon.
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Reproductive System problems among the elderly are a major cause for concern. Understanding elderly reproductive health problems and help-seeking behaviours is a prerequisite for providing comprehensive geriatric care to them. This research examines reproductive health problems and help seeking behaviours among the elderly in Bamenda I, North West Region.A convenient sampling method was used to select 57 participants for the study. Data was collected at community level and analyzed using SPPSS version 17analyzed. The results showed that 50.1% of the respondents were males and 49.1% were females.The findings revealed that 83.0%of the participants had reproductive problems such as low satisfaction with the current level of sexual activity (57.9%), concerns about libido (36.0%), irritation of genitals (52.6%), premenopausal problems (42.1%) and the majority of them never had appropriate care. Drugs such as those for Diabetes were consumed by 24.6% of the participants while 65.9% of the elderly witnessed a change in their sexual/reproductive health function. With regards to help seeking behaviour, 36.8% of the participantswho seek help in the hospital, 35.1% from traditional doctors, 15.8% from the church, 5.3% auto-medication, 5.3% pharmacy and other sources not identified accounted for 1.8%. The challenge ahead is to modify and restructure the primary health care system based on the concepts of reproductive health care that can accommodate the current needs of elderly men and women in our society to improve on their reproductive health and wellbeing.

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[Shalom Jaila, Samuel Nambile Cumber, Nancy Bongkiynuy, Rosaline Yumumkah Kanjo-Cumber and Peter Achu Ngang. (2017); ASSESSING REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND HELP SEEKING BEHAVIORS AMONG THE ELDERLY IN BAMENDA, CAMEROON Int. J. of Adv. Res. 5 (May). 41-48] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com

Samuel Nambile Cumber
Discipline of Public Health Medicine, Department of Nursing & Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

DOI:

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/4076      
DOI URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/4076

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