Male participation in family planning: An untapped potential for increasing utilization of family planning services in Ondo, Southwestern Nigeria

Background: Men play crucial roles in the utilization of family planning services hence, ensuring their commitment to these services is essential for increasing family planning uptake. This study therefore, assessed the level of male participation in family planning services utilization and its associated factors in Ondo west LGA, Ondo State, Nigeria. Methods: The study utilized a community-based cross-sectional design. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 433 eligible respondents. Quantitative data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23; bivariate and multivariate analyses were done using Chi-square and binary logistic regression respectively at 5% level of significance.Results: 55% and 48.5% of the study participants, had poor knowledge and perception about family planning services respectively. At bivariate level, there were statistically significant associations between age (p = 0.046), number of children (p < 0.001), level of education (p = 0.023), and the utilization of FP services by the respondents. Conclusion: The knowledge of the respondents about FP services was poor and if unaddressed, could infringe upon the rights of their spouses to access such services. Increasing male participation may require targeting married men for educational interventions. French title: Participation des hommes à la planification familiale : un potentiel inexploité pour accroître l'utilisation des services de planification familiale à Ondo, dans le sud-ouest du Nigéria Contexte général de l'étude : Les hommes jouent un rôle important dans l'utilisation des services de planification familiale, par conséquent, obtenir leur engagement envers ces services est essentiel pour augmenter l'adoption de la planification familiale. Par conséquent, cette étude a évalué le niveau de participation des hommes dans l'utilisation des services de planification familiale et ses facteurs associés à Ondo West, Ondo State, Nigéria.Méthode de l'étude : Une étude transversale communautaire, les répondants étant des hommes mariés. Une technique d'échantillonnage à plusieurs degrés a été utilisée pour sélectionner 433 répondants admissibles. Les données ont été recueillies à l'aide de questionnaires semi-structurés. Les données ont été analysées à l'aide d'IBM SPSS version 23 ; des analyses bi variées et multi variées ont été effectuées en utilisant respectivement une régression logistique du chi carré et binaire à un niveau de signification de 5%.Résultat de l'étude : Environ 55 % et 48,5 % des participants à l'étude avaient respectivement une connaissance et une perception médiocres des services de planification familiale. Au niveau bi varié, il y avait des associations statistiquement significatives entre l'âge (p = 0,046), le nombre d'enfants (p < 0,001), le niveau d'éducation (p = 0,023) et l'utilisation des services de PF par les répondants.Conclusion : La connaissance des répondants sur les services de PF est faible et si elle n'est pas prise en compte, elle pourrait porter atteinte aux droits de leurs conjoints à de tels services. L'augmentation de la participation des hommes peut nécessiter de cibler les hommes mariés pour les interventions éducatives.

Where are all the men? A review of the barriers and facilitators to participation in health promotion interventions

Research shows that men in the U.S. experience significant morbidity and earlier mortality than women and are less likely to access, interpret, and apply health information to improve their outcomes. Although evidence-based health promotion programs have proven successful at increasing healthy lifestyle behaviors and reducing morbidity among older adults, older males are still significantly less likely to enroll and sustain participation in such health interventions. While studies have shown the barriers and facilitators to older adult participation in health programs in general, it is largely unknown why older male recruitment and participation in health promotion interventions remains so low. In this poster presentation, we conducted a thorough review of the last 20 years of existing research across a variety of academic search databases to outline the barriers, facilitators, and recommendations for increasing older male participation in health promotion programs. Of 1,194 initial search results, 383 article abstracts were thoroughly screened for inclusion, and 26 articles met all inclusion criteria. Included studies were coded and analyzed using Grounded Theory and reveal that masculine gender roles, as well as program scope, environment, and gender of the instructors and other participants, were important factors for male participation. Interventions should include men in all aspects of program planning and implementation, take into account men’s existing relationships and interests to create gender-sensitive programming, and clearly delineate the benefits to participation. Lastly, the field of public health would benefit by helping to normalize men’s participation in health promotion interventions.

Participation and performance trends: Polish Nordic marathoners

For the last two decades, the physical activity of the Poles has increased dynamically. Nevertheless, there has been a decline in the number of Polish athletes running marathons compared with an increase in participation in a variety of competitions not directly associated with running. The purpose of this study was to investigate participation and performance trends in Nordic walking marathons in Poland between 2014 and 2019. A total of 490 Polish Nordic walking marathoners, who completed races between 2014 and 2019 were included. Participation and performance were analysed with an emphasis on the demographics of the age and gender of the athletes. The results suggest that overall male participation in Nordic walking marathons was high, yet the number of female finishers increased over the period of the study. Though men also had significantly better finishing times over the same period. In terms of age, middle-aged competitors were the biggest and the fastest age-group between 2014 and 2019.The strength of this study lies in its novelty. It is the first research project to directly examine the participation and performance of Nordic walking marathoners between 2014 and 2019 in terms of gender and age.

An assessment of health facility factors influencing male participation in utilization of antenatal care services among spouses in selected manufacturing industries in Nairobi County, Kenya

Background: Male participation in utilization of reproductive health is likely to promote timely and proper antenatal care, encourage women to deliver under the care of a skilled attendant, and also help identify and seek heath care in cases of post-partum complications. However, in most African societies, pregnancy, delivery and postnatal services has been erroneously classified as purely feminine issue by the society.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was adopted for the study. The target population of the study comprised of males above 18 years working in selected manufacturing industries in the area of Babadogo located in Nairobi County, Kenya. The sample size for the study was 266 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Data collected was quantitatively analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).Results: 56.0% (145) of the respondents had accompanied their partner to antenatal care facilities; 34.0% (88) of the respondents had ever participated in ANC services. Chi-square test statistics showed that distance to the nearest health facility (χ2=7.472 df=3, p=0.024), cost of accessing ANC services (χ2=26.253 df=4, p=0.001), attitude of healthcare providers (χ2=31.705 df=3, p=0.001) and friendliness of the waiting bay (χ2=9.718 df=2, p=0.008) significantly influenced male participation in antenatal care services’ utilization among spouses.Conclusions: Despite majority of men accompanying their wives to antenatal care facilities, most of them did not participate in the antenatal care services. Another conclusion is that facility factors such as distance, cost, health care providers’ attitude, and waiting bay friendliness influence male participation in utilization of antenatal care services.

Where are all the men? Exploring the lack of make participation in childbearing research using the Theory of Planned Behaviour

The current study examined whether the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) could account for the disproportionately low participation rates of men in childbearing and fertility research and whether the addition of distal factors could help identify the men missing from this specific field of health research. The study was of longitudinal design, comprising two online surveys measuring the TPB constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control), distal factors (e.g., desire for a child) intentions to participate in childbearing research (time 1) and childbearing research behaviour (time 2). More women (n=623) than men (n=176) participated. Structural models revealed the TPB constructs accounted for 37% and 1% of the variance in intentions and behaviour respectively. Attitudes had the strongest association with intentions (β=.53). Men had significantly less favourable attitudes (p=.000) and lower intentions than women (p=.01). TPB constructs fully and partially mediated associations between distal factors and intentions. The modification of attitudes is likely to be the mechanism that would elicit intention (and behaviour) change amongst those likely to be missing from childbearing and fertility research, namely men not yet at the stage of starting a family. Increasing male participation will help identify unmet needs in research and policy that concern men.

Attitude and Involvement of Male Partner in Maternal Health Care in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a Cross-sectional Study

Background: The participation of men in maternal health care [MHC] is recognized as a crucial strategy to enhance maternal health care. Research assessing male participation in MHC and factors influencing their involvement in Ethiopia is minimal, despite the important role of men in maternity care.Objective: To assess the attitude and involvement of the male partner in maternal health care in Nifas Silk Lafto sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2020. A sample of 411 married men was recruited using a systematic random sampling technique. The data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered in Epidata version 4.6 and SPSS version 25 used for analysis. The association between the dependent variable (Male partner involvement in maternal health care) and independent variables was checked using Multivariable logistic regression.Results: A composite score was obtained by adding the level of participation in all three aspects of maternity care together, and the overall level of participation in maternity care was 103 (25.1%) with good participation and 308 (74.9 %) with poor participation. Almost half of the study participants [48.7%] had a positive attitude towards maternal health care.In multivariate analysis, men whose spouse had unplanned pregnancy (AOR = 0.46, 95%, CI: 0.222 - 0.956), who did not reside with their partner (AOR = 0.09, 95 % CI: 0.011- 0.804), who did not obtain information in prenatal and postnatal clinics (AOR = 0.101, 95% CI: 0.056-0.181) were variables significantly correlated with male participation compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: The level of men’s involvement in maternity care was poor. In this study, access to information on men's involvement in maternity care, education, and living conditions were the determinants of men's participation in maternity care. These findings provide a useful guide for targeting future strategies for potential male participation.