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Onipede Wusu, Lagos State University
Literature suggests marital sexual infidelity is growing among men and women. Studies have indicated that religious involvement and values reduce marital sexual infidelity. Ghana and Nigeria are religious countries, but little is known about the influence of religion on marital sexual infidelity in both countries. This study involved analysis of the latest available standard Demographic and Health Survey data sets in Ghana (GDHS2014: 5,456 women and 2,302 men) and Nigeria (NDHS2018: 28,888 women and 8,018 men). Results suggest that marital sexual infidelity occurred more in Ghana (women=27.8%, men=20.1%) than in Nigeria (women=7.8%, men=6.1%). The potency of religious influence on sexual infidelity in marriage was only sustainably established in Nigeria (p<0.001). Other Christians (females)—OR=1.3(CI1.1-1.5) indicated higher odds of reporting marital sexual infidelity while their Muslim counterparts had lower odds (women, OR= 0.4(CI0.3-0.5); men (OR=0.3(CI0.2-0.5)) of such experience, relative Catholic Christians (p<0.001). Protection deployment was higher in Nigeria than Ghana, and better among men than women in both countries. Overall, religious influence on marital sexual infidelity was more potent in Nigeria than in Ghana. Therefore, social campaigns aimed at preventing infidelity and STIs in marriage should be more intensive in Ghana and among women in both countries.
Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Demography of religions , Family demography, Gender