Men’s involvement in family planning improves contraceptive use, study finds

The study of men in involvement and use of family planning methods is important because of their dominant role in family decision-making in the socio-structural context of Pakistan. The objective of present study is to examine the changes in knowledge and attitude of men about family planning, and also to estimate the extent to which it affects their contraceptive use behaviour. The findings show that men’s knowledge and contraceptive use has increased three times during the period from 1968-69 to 1990. The important factors that determine men’s contraceptive use behaviour are the approval of family planning, the communication with wife on family planning matters, and the desire for children. The multivariate analysis shows that men living in urban areas, with greater knowledge and a positive attitude towards family planning, are more likely to use contraception. In addition, wife’s autonomy is also important in explaining men’s involvement in the use of family planning. The study reveals that most Pakistani men approve of family planning and suggests that men should receive an equal focus together with women in the population welfare programme activities.

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FACTORS AFFECTING EVER-MARRIED MEN’S CONTRACEPTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND USE IN NIGERIA

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s0021932002004972 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 497-510 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

KOLAWOLE A. OYEDIRAN ◽

GBENGA P. ISHOLA ◽

BAMIKALE J. FEYISETAN

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Contraceptive Use ◽

Key Factors ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Contraceptive Knowledge ◽

The Past ◽

Size Limitation ◽

Married Men ◽

Living Children ◽

Men’S Involvement

African men play important roles in the decisions about family life, including fertility and family planning. However, fertility and family planning research and programmes have ignored their roles in the past, focusing only on women’s behaviours. Since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), interest in men’s involvement in reproductive health has increased. Unfortunately, data on their knowledge and use of contraception are generally scanty. This paper examines knowledge and use of contraception among ever-married men in Nigeria. A total of 1451 ever-married men aged 18–55 were interviewed in Imo and Ondo States, Nigeria. The findings reveal that men’s level of contraceptive knowledge is high in the study areas. About 90% knew at least one method of family planning. Furthermore, the level of contraceptive use among married men is such that men could participate in family planning activities if there were adequate programmes to involve them. Men in the sample areas were found not only to support their spouses’ use of contraceptives, but were actually using condoms to delay or prevent pregnancy. Age, education, place of residence, number of living children and being counselled for family planning were identified as key factors determining contraceptive knowledge and use among married men in the study areas. To ensure increased participation of men in family planning, programmes must be designed to educate them on the need for family size limitation and involve them in service delivery, even if only to their male counterparts.

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MEN’S INVOLVEMENT IN FAMILY PLANNING IN RURAL BANGLADESH

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s002193200800285x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 40 (6) ◽

pp. 815-840 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

JILL CLARK ◽

KATHRYN M. YOUNT ◽

ROGER ROCHAT

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Contraceptive Use ◽

Diarrhoeal Disease ◽

Treatment Area ◽

Rural Bangladesh ◽

Disease Research ◽

Married Men ◽

Contraceptive Prevalence ◽

Male To Female ◽

Men’S Involvement

SummaryContraceptive prevalence has risen markedly in rural Bangladesh due in part to a doorstep-delivery system initiated by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). This study investigates effects of residence in the Matlab MCH-FP treatment area on men’s involvement in family planning. The analysis compares for treatment and comparison areas knowledge of and attitudes toward contraception, as well as levels of contraceptive use, among 413 married men interviewed at the baseline of an ICDDR,B men’s involvement project. Although residence in the MCH-FP area is associated with a higher overall contraceptive prevalence, it also is associated with a lower adjusted ratio of male-to-female method use, and lower odds of other indicators of men’s involvement in family planning. Historical decisions to exclude men from contraceptive decision-making may place the ‘burden’ of contraception on women and may preclude the productive involvement of men. These and other implications and strategies for increased men’s involvement are discussed.

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The Effect of Women’s Empowerment in the Utilisation of Family Planning in Western Ethiopia: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126550 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6550

Author(s):

Muluken Dessalegn Muluneh ◽

Lyn Francis ◽

Mhiret Ayele ◽

Sintayehu Abebe ◽

Misrak Makonnen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Family Planning ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Contraceptive Use ◽

Women's Empowerment ◽

Women’S Empowerment ◽

Household Decision ◽

Planning Methods ◽

Western Ethiopia ◽

Family Planning Methods

This study examines the associations between women’s empowerment and family planning use in Jimma Zone, Western Ethiopia. A total of 746 randomly selected married women of reproductive age were interviewed. The data were employed by structural equation modelling (SEM) to investigate the complex and multidimensional pathways to show women’s empowerment domains in family planning utilisation. Results of the study revealed that 72% of married women had used family planning. Younger women, having access to information, having access to health facilities and being aware about family planning methods, living in a rural area, having an older partner and increased household decision-making power were associated with using family planning methods. Women’s empowerment is an important determinant of contraceptive use. Women’s empowerment dimensions included increased household decision-making power, socio-demographic variables and having access to information about family planning and accessible health facilities. These were found to be important determinants of contraceptive use. Future interventions should focus on integrating women’s empowerment into family planning programming, particularly in enhancing women’s autonomy in decision making. Further research is warranted on the socio-cultural context of women that influences women’s empowerment and family planning use to establish an in-depth understanding and equity of women in society.

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Family Planning Beliefs and Their Association with Contraceptive Use Dynamics: Results from a Longitudinal Study in Uganda

Studies in Family Planning ◽

10.1111/sifp.12153 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Linnea A. Zimmerman ◽

Dana O. Sarnak ◽

Celia Karp ◽

Shannon N. Wood ◽

Caroline Moreau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Family Planning ◽

Contraceptive Use

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Measuring Men’s Gender Norm Beliefs Related to Contraception: Development of the Masculine Norms and Family Planning Acceptance Scale

Archives of Sexual Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10508-021-01941-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sara J. Newmann ◽

Jennifer Monroe Zakaras ◽

Shari L. Dworkin ◽

Mellissa Withers ◽

Louisa Ndunyu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Contraceptive Use ◽

Gender Norms ◽

Male Partner ◽

Masculine Norms ◽

Pregnancy Spacing ◽

Key Factor ◽

Acceptance Scale ◽

Future Work ◽

Positive Engagement

AbstractMale partner resistance is identified as a key factor that influences women’s contraceptive use. Examination of the masculine norms that shape men’s resistance to contraception—and how to intervene on these norms—is needed. To assess a gender-transformative intervention in Kenya, we developed and evaluated a masculinity-informed instrument to measure men’s contraceptive acceptance—the Masculine Norms and Family Planning Acceptance (MNFPA) scale. We developed draft scale items based on qualitative research and administered them to partnered Kenyan men (n = 150). Item response theory-based methods were used to reduce and psychometrically evaluate final scale items. The MNFPA scale had a Cronbach’s α of 0.68 and loaded onto a single factor. MNFPA scores were associated with self-efficacy and intention to accept a female partner’s use of contraception; scores were not associated with current contraceptive use. The MNFPA scale is the first rigorously developed and psychometrically evaluated tool to assess men’s contraceptive acceptance as a function of male gender norms. Future work is needed to test the MNFPA measure in larger samples and across different contexts. The scale can be used to evaluate interventions that seek to shift gender norms to increase men’s positive engagement in pregnancy spacing and prevention.

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Men’s involvement in family planning service utilization among married men in Kondala district, western Ethiopia: a community-based comparative cross-sectional study

Contraception and Reproductive Medicine ◽

10.1186/s40834-021-00160-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lemessa Assefa ◽

Zemenu Shasho ◽

Habtamu Kebebe Kasaye ◽

Edao Tesa ◽

Ebisa Turi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Service Utilization ◽

Family Planning Service ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Planning Service ◽

Community Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Western Ethiopia ◽

Men’S Involvement

Abstract Background Men involvement is one of the important factors in family planning (FP) service utilization. Their limitation in the family planning program causes a decrease in service utilization as well as the discontinuation of the method which eventually leads to failure of the program. Family planning uptake is low but there is no enough study conducted on the parameters of husband involvement in Ethiopia. Hence, this study focused to assess men’s involvement in family planning service utilization in Kondala district, western Ethiopia. Methods Community based comparative cross-sectional study design was employed in urban and rural kebeles of kondala district using quantitative and qualitative data collection tools. The multi-stage sampling method was employed to select 370 participants from each of the four urban and eight rural kebeles. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify variables that affect husbands’ involvement in FP service utilization. Statistical significance was declared at p-value of < 0.05 with 95% confidence interval (CI) and strength of association was reported by odds ratio (OR). Results The study showed that 203(55.6%) men from urban and 178(48.8%) from rural were involved in FP service utilization. The median age of the respondents was 36+ 8.5 years (IQR: 27.5–44.5) in urban and 35 years (IQR: 25–45) in rural parts. Respondents who had four and above current children (AOR = 3.25, 95%CI = 1.51–7.02) in urban and (AOR = 4.20, 95%CI = 1.80–9.79) in rural were positively associated with men’s involvement in FP service utilization. In the urban setting, being government employee (AOR = 2.58, 95%CI = 1.25–5.33), wishing less than two children (AOR = 3.08, 95%CI = 1.80–5.24) and having a better attitude towards FP methods (AOR = 1.86, 95%CI = 1.16–2.99) were positively associated with FP service utilization. While good educational background (AOR = 2.13, 95%CI = 1.02–4.44), short distance from home to health facility (AOR = 2.29, 95%CI = 1.24–4.19) and having better knowledge (AOR = 4.49, 95%CI = 2.72–7.38) were positively associated with men involvement in FP service utilization in the rural area. Conclusion Low involvement of men in family planning service utilization was reported in both settings. Factors associated with husbands’ involvement were varied between the two setups, except for the current number of children. Future FP program should incorporate infrastructure associated with the health facility, knowledge, and attitudinal factors.

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A qualitative exploration of contraceptive use and discontinuation among women with an unmet need for modern contraception in Kenya

Reproductive Health ◽

10.1186/s12978-021-01094-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Susan Ontiri ◽

Lilian Mutea ◽

Violet Naanyu ◽

Mark Kabue ◽

Regien Biesma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Side Effects ◽

Peer Influence ◽

Contraceptive Use ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Modern Contraceptive ◽

Modern Contraception ◽

Modern Contraceptives ◽

Family Planning Programs ◽

Contraceptive Discontinuation

Abstract Background Addressing the unmet need for modern contraception underpins the goal of all family planning and contraception programs. Contraceptive discontinuation among those in need of a method hinders the attainment of the fertility desires of women, which may result in unintended pregnancies. This paper presents experiences of contraceptive use, reasons for discontinuation, and future intentions to use modern contraceptives. Methods Qualitative data were collected in two rural counties in Kenya in 2019 from women with unmet need for contraception who were former modern contraceptive users. Additional data was collected from male partners of some of the women interviewed. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions explored previous experience with contraceptive use, reasons for discontinuation, and future intentionality to use. Following data collection, digitally recorded data were transcribed verbatim, translated, and coded using thematic analysis through an inductive approach. Results Use of modern contraception to prevent pregnancy and plan for family size was a strong motivator for uptake of contraceptives. The contraceptive methods used were mainly sourced from public health facilities though adolescents got them from the private sector. Reasons for discontinued use included side effects, method failure, peer influence, gender-based violence due to covert use of contraceptives, and failure within the health system. Five reasons were provided for those not willing to use in the future: fear of side effects, cost of contraceptive services, family conflicts over the use of modern contraceptives, reduced need, and a shift to traditional methods. Conclusion This study expands the literature by examining reasons for contraceptive discontinuation and future intentionality to use among women in need of contraception. The results underscore the need for family planning interventions that incorporate quality of care in service provision to address contraceptive discontinuation. Engaging men and other social influencers in family planning programs and services will help garner support for contraception, rather than focusing exclusively on women. The results of this study can inform implementation of family planning programs in Kenya and beyond to ensure they address the concerns of former modern contraception users.

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