Mothers' Experiences of Husband’s Involvement in Maternal Fetal Attachment: A Qualitative Study

Background: The involvement of husbands during pregnancy within the Iranian culture is one of the challenging topics. In this context, efforts to encourage male involvement in the maternal health issues can strengthen family bonds and consequently improve the relationships between men and women in societies. Objectives: This qualitative study aimed to elucidate the involvement of husbands in maternal-fetal attachment (MFA). Methods: Using a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis, 11 pregnant women referring to the health care centers in Sari, Iran were interviewed from March 2020 to February 2021. The participants met the maximum diversity criteria in terms of age, level of education, occupation, and socioeconomic status. Deep and unstructured interviews were utilized to obtain the research data. All the interviews were then transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method developed by Graneheim and Lundman in MAXQDA Software. Results: A total of 350 codes emerged from the data. We identified a main theme entitled ‘husband support’, which included four categories and 11 sub-categories. The main categories were: (1) empathic response, (2) emotional support, (3) continued support, and (4) attention to fetus. Conclusions: Interventions to enhance husband support could increase MFA. Planning to promote male participation in pregnancy process is essential to promote maternal and child health.

Identifying barriers to ART initiation and adherence: An exploratory qualitative study on PMTCT in Zambia

Background Though antiretroviral therapy (ART) is widely available, HIV positive pregnant women in Zambia are less likely to start and remain on therapy throughout pregnancy and after delivery. This study sought to understand readiness to start ART among HIV pregnant women from the perspectives of both women and men in order to suggest more holistic programs to support women to continue life-long ART after delivery. Methods We conducted a qualitative study with HIV positive pregnant women before and after ART initiation, and men with female partners, to understand readiness to start lifelong ART. We conducted 28 in-depth interviews among women and 2 focus group discussions among male partners. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed in NVivo 12 using thematic analysis. Emerging themes from the data were organized using the social ecological framework. Results Men thought of their female partners as young and needing their supervision to initiate and stay on ART. Women agreed that disclosure and partner support were necessary preconditions to ART initiation and adherence and, expressed fear of divorce as a prominent barrier to disclosure. Maternal love and desire to look after one’s children instilled a sense of responsibility among women which motivated them to overcome individual, interpersonal and health system level barriers to initiation and adherence. Women preferred adherence strategies that were discrete, the effectiveness of which, depended on women’s intrinsic motivation. Conclusion The results support current policies in Zambia to encourage male engagement in ART care. To appeal to male partners, messaging on ART should be centered on emphasizing the importance of male involvement to ensure women remain engaged in ART care. Programs aimed at supporting postpartum ART adherence should design messages that appeal to both men’s role in couples’ joint decision-making and women’s maternal love as motivators for adherence.

Perception and Determinants of Gender Preference among Men in Isoko South Local Government Council, Oleh, Delta State

Introduction: Some couples do not have the gender of children they prefer which could result in physical, psychological, sexual, obstetric and several other consequences. The present study was conducted among men to determine their perception of gender preference and factors responsible for their gender preference. Objective: To assess the perception of gender preference and factors responsible for gender preference among men. Methods: A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select 143 out of 221 male Civil Servants from nine (9) different departments. The instrument used for data collection was a self-developed Questionnaire on Perception and Determinants of Gender Preference (QPDGP). The reliability of the instrument was established through the test-retest method using Cronbach’s alpha which yielded co-efficient of 0.82. Data collected were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Results: The results showed that 90 (62.9%) men preferred male gender. For 79 (55.2%) men, the choice of gender was aimed at psychological satisfaction in marriage. Also, 77 (53.8%) preferred male children because they had better initiative, were easier to train 101 (70.6%), to allow for security of family inheritance 142 (99.3%) and continuity of family name 141 (98.6%). Some reasons given for female child preference were better ability to take care of younger ones 99 (69.2%), more supportive to aged parents 115 (80.4%) and being a reliable emotional support 88 (61.5%). Conclusion: Male gender preference is strongly perceived among the men. It was recommended that reproductive health services be modified to allow male involvement.

Experience report and data visualization to evaluate a game programming project aimed for girls using Scratch tool

The inclusion of women in technology has increased in recent years, but the number of women in technology is still much smaller compared to male involvement. Many factors make women not part of the information technology field. These factors include cultural, social factors of lack of information about the area. Thus, this paper aims to understand some of the factors that lead women to look less for professional areas involving science and technology. This article presents the state of the art of science and technology projects that have been aimed at women around the world. In addition, a questionnaire was applied in order to present some of the factors that can affect the performance of girls in projects in the field of Exact Sciences. Among the variables studied, the one that had the greatest correlation with the worst performances achieved by the girls was the absence of technology and internet at home. Furthermore, a quali-quantitative analysis shows the importance of carrying out projects that involve women in science and technology.

“I had to change my attitude”: narratives of most significant change explore the experience of universal home visits to pregnant women and their spouses in Bauchi State, Nigeria

Background Universal home visits to pregnant women and their spouses in Bauchi State, northern Nigeria, discussed local evidence about maternal and child health risks actionable by households. The expected results chain for improved health behaviours resulting from the visits was based on the CASCADA model, which includes Conscious knowledge, Attitudes, Subjective norms, intention to Change, Agency to change, Discussion of options, and Action to change. Previous quantitative analysis confirmed the impact of the visits on maternal and child outcomes. To explore the mechanisms of the quantitative improvements, we analysed participants’ narratives of changes in their lives they attributed to the visits. Methods Local researchers collected stories of change from 23 women and 21 men in households who had received home visits, from eight male and eight female home visitors, and from four government officers attached to the home visits program. We used a deductive thematic analysis based on the CASCADA results chain to analyze stories from women and men in households, and an inductive thematic approach to analyze stories from home visitors and government officials. Results The stories from the visited women and men illustrated all steps in the CASCADA results chain. Almost all stories described increases in knowledge. Stories also described marked changes in attitudes and positive deviations from harmful subjective norms. Most stories recounted a change in behaviour attributed to the home visits, and many went on to mention a beneficial outcome of the behaviour change. Men, as well as women, described significant changes. The home visitors’ stories described increases in knowledge, increased self-confidence and status in the community, and, among women, financial empowerment. Conclusions The narratives of change gave insights into likely mechanisms of impact of the home visits, at least in the Bauchi setting. The compatibility of our findings with the CASCADA results chain supports the use of this model in designing and analysing similar interventions in other settings. The indication that the home visits changed male engagement has broader relevance and contributes to the ongoing debate about how to increase male involvement in reproductive health.

Determinants of Gender Division in Agricultural Works and Agrobiodiversity Management in Nepal

This study was designed to assess the access of Nepalese farmers to the training and extension service, gender division on agricultural work, and factors affecting agrobiodiversity management activities. A total of 2,817 respondents were interviewed at different locations throughout Nepal. The information was collected using the mWater surveyor. Descriptive and inferential analyses were done. The respondents having received training in agriculture were significantly higher among elite, educated, and agricultural households. Access to extension facilities was significantly determined by the type of household, ethnicity, occupation, and education of respondents. Male domination in the choice of crops, land preparation, and seed selection were significantly higher in male-headed households, marginalized groups, and agricultural households. However, females were more likely to be involved in seed sowing. The male domination in male-headed households were significantly higher for applying fertilizers, weeding, irrigation, and pest control. Among elite ethnic groups, domination of males was significantly higher for fertilizer application. The role of the male in agricultural households was significantly higher in all aspects. One unit increase in the area increased the likelihood of male involvement in irrigation by 30%. The males are likely to be more involved in harvesting, sales of products, and control of income. Elite and educated respondents coupled with access to training practiced more crop rotation compared to the rest. The likelihood of practicing intercropping and mixed cropping was influenced by extension facilities and training facilities. Elite groups and farmers with extension facilities tended to practice more agroforestry. So, the types of households, education, and ethnicity have a key role in the gender differentiation in agriculture operation. Moreover, training and extension facilities help a lot in the conservation and practice of agrobiodiversity. There is an urgent need in improving the women's role and overall management of the agricultural landscape.

TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN OSUN STATE, SOUTH WEST NIGERIA

Road traffic accident (RTA) is a growing critical issue globally, resulting in high casualties and fatalities, especially in developing countries. This study examines the magnitude and trend of RTA and the effectiveness of road traffic safety measures in Osun State, South West Nigeria. Data on road traffic accidents from 1992 to 2016 was obtained from Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) coupled with primary data acquired from 2,209 sampled households in six hierarchically selected cities through a multi-stage stratified random procedure. The study reveals a very high positive correlation (r = 0.97; p = 0.001) between road traffic accidents and the size of the cities. Trend analysis shows a gradual decline in accident and mortality rates but increasing injury rates. The study observed a relatively higher male involvement than females in RTA at the ratio of 3:1 and a relatively higher occurrence among civil servants (38.2%) and traders (27.6%) than other occupational groups. The study concludes that the incidence of road traffic accidents varies spatially, temporally, across gender and occupational divide and that safety measures employed do not have a significant impact in preventing its occurrence in the study area. It is recommended that safety culture should be encouraged among road users apart from strengthening the institutional framework responsible for transport safety.

Determinants of Male Involvement in Family Planning Services in Abia State, Southeast Nigeria

Background: Male involvement in family planning (FP) remains low in male-dominant communities. Family planning contributes to the regulation of fertility and population growth in Nigeria. Increasing male involvement in family planning services is crucial in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality in patriarchal societies such as Nigeria. This study identified the determinants of male involvement in family planning services in Abia State, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in twelve communities of Abia State, Nigeria. A total of 588 married men who met the eligibility criteria were recruited using a multistage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the variables. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis was done. The level of significance was set at 5%. Results: The overall level of active male involvement in family planning services was 55.1% (95% CI:51.0%- 59.2%). The mean age of the respondents was 42.4±8.0 years. Access to television (aOR= 1.58, 95% CI: 1.05-2.39), spouse employment status (aOR= 2.02, 95% CI: 1.33-2.06), shared decision-making (aOR= 1.66, 95% CI: 1.05-2.62), and accompanying spouse to the FP clinic (aOR= 3.15, 95% CI: 2.16-4.62) were all predictors of active male involvement.Conclusion: Active involvement of men in family planning services was moderate. This was predicted by access to television, employment status of spouse, shared decision-making, and accompanying spouse to the FP clinic. There is a need to focus on the identified factors in order to further improve the active involvement of men in FP services.

Male Partner Involvement in Promoting Antenatal Care and Skilled Delivery Attendance in Bumula Sub-County, Kenya

Globally, male partner involvement in antenatal care and skilled delivery services remains a challenge to effective management of maternal health. Maternal morbidities and mortalities have been increasing due to the underutilization of antenatal care and skilled delivery attendance at a global level. However, developed countries have had a different story on male partner involvement in antenatal care and skilled delivery attendance – most male partners are involved in the process. But sub-Saharan Africa in the global south records the highest percentage of male partners who are never active in accompanying their female counterparts to visit antenatal care and skilled delivery. In Kenya male involvement in maternal services remains low despite it being recognized as one of the pillars of safe motherhood. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate male partner involvement in promoting antenatal care and skilled delivery attendance in Bumula Sub-County of Bungoma County in Kenya. It focused on the level of male partners involvement in maternal health. The study adopted a cross-sectional design. The target populations were married men and community health volunteers. The study had a sample size of 427 persons. Data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire, key in-depth interview guides, focused group discussion guides and observation checklist. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Scientist version 25. Data were presented using tables, figures, narratives and direct quotes. The study found a low level of male involvement (18%) in promoting antenatal care and skilled delivery attendance. Most of the male partners (83.1%) did not plan with their partners for ANC and skilled delivery services, however, (54.1%) accompanied their partners to the clinics. The study concluded There was a low level of male partner involvement in ANC and skilled delivery attendance. About 18% of male partners were involvement in ANC and skilled delivery attendance. There was an improvement of male partner involvement in accompaniment and provision of support. The study recommended that the two levels of government through the Ministry of Health should create awareness campaigns and public education with a targeted massage on negative cultural practices/mindset that hinder male partner involvement in maternal health services in the Bumula sub-county.