The study ascertained

In this paper, we investigated factors associated with marital instability in rural households. Using a case study of rural farming households in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, we examined the demographic characteristics of married couples in rural farming households and the nature of marital instability among them in addition to ascertaining the factors associated with marital instability in the study area. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were employed to analyze data collected from 240 married couples selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Results revealed that the average age of the respondents was 42 years; 91.7% of them were functionally literate; their average household size comprised of six persons; and seventeen years was their average years of marriage. Findings also revealed that majority of the respondents had low marital instability; factor analysis result showed that socio-cultural difference, psychological factor, economic factor, marriage-based factor, health factor, sex-related factor, conflict factor and communication-based factor were the major factors associated with marital instability among married persons in the study area. The findings highlight avenues of theoretical development to better understand marital instability among rural dwellers in Nigeria as well as have implications for marriage counselling among married persons in the study area.

The study assessed the relationship between social capital and contraceptive use among rural dwellers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Data obtained from one hundred and sixty rural dwellers, using multi-stage sampling procedure, were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results show that 51.3% of the respondents, with an average age of 40 years, were females and 71.3% were married. Majority of the respondents (96.2%) had formal education with an average monthly income of N28,900.50. Results also reveal that a high level of social capital exists among 56.9% of the respondents; and that the most utilized contraceptive methods by the rural dwellers were barrier methods, hormonal contraceptives and abstinence. A simple linear regression shows that social capital positively influences contraceptive use by rural dwellers in the study area. Hence, social capital should be taken cognizance of by policy makers in the study area when formulating policies aimed at controlling the rural populace via contraceptive use.