TITLE:
Impacts of Interventional Education on the Knowledge of Obstetric Fistula Prevention among Female Secondary School Students in a Low-Resource Setting
AUTHORS:
Abigail Adebisi Abioye, Gladys Obiageli Oluwasanmi, Busayo Temilola Akinbowale, Victoria Adenike Adeniyi, Roseline O. Folami, Oladayo Damilola Akinwale, Akinyele Akin Akinbowale, Musiliat Olufunke Akinbade, Olajide Emmanuel Babalola, Akintunde Olusegun Fehintola
KEYWORDS:
Knowledge, Prevention, Secondary School Girls, Vesicovaginal Fistula
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.16 No.8,
August
12,
2026
ABSTRACT: In Nigeria, the incidence of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) has increased recently. It now poses a threat to expectant mothers. In Nigeria, women’s health has emerged as a significant health concern. The most prevalent type of acquired urinary tract fistula is VVF, which continues to be a serious problem in many developing nations. Due to their physical underdevelopment and lack of obstetric care during pregnancy and labor, young girls between the ages of 10 and 19 who become pregnant are more susceptible to vesico-vaginal fistula. Therefore, this study was an intervention study on secondary school girls’ awareness of vesicovaginal fistula prevention in Ilesa-East LGA, Osun State. A multistage sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 240 respondents for the pre-test and post-test two-group quasi-experimental research design. Data were gathered using a self-designed questionnaire that was pre-tested and had a reliability of 0.707 according to the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Four hypotheses and four research questions were developed and put to the test. Descriptive statistics and t-test analysis, fixed at the 0.05 level of significance, were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the respondents were between 12 and 19 years old, with a mean age of 14.8 and a standard deviation of 3.36. Pre-intervention general knowledge mean scores for vesico-vaginal fistula were 5.23 ± 1.97 (34.9%) in the control group and 5.07 ± 2.01 (33.8%) in the experimental group, with a mean difference of 0.16. Pre-intervention mean scores for vesico-vaginal fistula prevention were 2.33 ± 0.76 (38.8%) in the control group and 2.31 ± 0.81 (38.5%) in the experimental group, with a mean difference of 0.02. The control group’s post-intervention mean score on vesico-vaginal fistula was 5.91 ± 2.06 (39.4%) and the experimental group was 12.88 ± 3.32 (85.9%), with a mean difference of 6.97; the control group’s post-intervention mean score on vesico-vaginal fistula prevention was 2.57 ± 0.93 (42.8%) and the experimental group’s was 4.93 ± 1.01 (82.2%), with a mean difference of 2.36. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference between the control and experimental groups’ pre-intervention general knowledge (mean difference = 0.16, t(174) = 1.27, p = 0.271) and knowledge of prevention (mean difference = 0.02, t(174) = 1.50, p = 0.154). group. However, there is a statistically significant difference in the pre-intervention general knowledge (mean difference = 6.97, t(174) = 5.09, p = 0.000) and knowledge of prevention (mean difference = 2.36, t(174) = 4.57, p = 0.000) mean scores of participants on vesico-vaginal fistula in the control and experimental groups. In conclusion, the intervention was successful in increasing the respondents’ understanding of vesicovaginal fistula prevention. Consequently, it is advised that schools employ health education on the repercussions of early pregnancy (vesico-vaginal fistula) as a crucial tactic to improve young people’s understanding of sexual health.