The influence of male involvement on family planning use in the west Mamprusi district of the northern region of Ghana
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Date
JUNE, 2019
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Abstract
Background: Family planning involves the processes, activities, and practices to
space births and limit family size through the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.
Pregnancy is intended to occur by choice and not by chance. Family planning aims to
assist couples and individuals at all ages to achieve their reproductive goals so as to
improve their general reproductive health. Male involvement in the context of this
study implies male support in decision taken on family planning issues and
encouraging women in the service uptake. Data from the West Mamprusi District
Health Directorate indicate low family acceptor rate over a three-year period as 7.3%
for 2014, 4.3% in 2015 and 9.1% in 2016. The low coverage for family planning has
been anecdotally attributed to poor males’ involvement.
Aim: This study sought to determine male involvement and its influence on family
planning use in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern region of Ghana.
Materials and method: The study employed a cross-sectional design with
quantitative approach to data collection to determine male involvement and its
influence on family planning use in the West Mamprusi District. A structured
questionnaire was used to gather data from 140 respondents by simple random
sampling. Data was check for completeness and accuracy, and analyzed using
STATA version 12.1 at a significant level of 5%.
Results: Average age of males interviewed was 28.52(SD ±7.30), with over threequarters (87.1%) were married men and 83.8% had at least 4 children and 72.3%
reported having intention for more children with major (41.3%) decision making
regarding childbearing been determined by the husbands. Males’ patronage and
involvement in family planning indicates 38.6% of men to have accessed family
planning with their partners, and 35% said they were stigmatized when involved inxiii
family planning with partner. Overall males knowledge of family planning was 58.5%
and negative perceptions and attitude of men towards vasectomy was 37.5% and
facilitators and barriers to males involvement in family planning include time factor
(32.1%), stigmatization/gossip (19.8%), and shyness (16.1%), prohibited by religion
(13.6%) and cost/lack of monies to access the services. Major barrier affecting males
involvement was contraceptives side effect (82.1%) and cited side effects to include;
abdominal pains/heavy menstrual flow (33.3%), delayed pregnancy/menstruation
(22.9%), weight gain/obesity (13.3%) and dizziness/headache 12.4%. Associated
socio-demographic determinants influencing males involvement in family planning
were; age category (OR=2.55; 95%CI 0.97-6.65; p=0.05), educational level
(OR=0.19; 95%CI 0.39-0.94; p=0.04) and occupation (OR=0.37; 95%CI 0.15-0.84;
p=0.02). In conclusion males’ involvement in family planning was woefully low, with
high awareness level and an average knowledge level of FP. Determinants of males’
involvement in family planning was found to involve men age, educational level and
occupation.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,Kumasi Ghana, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Award of a Degree of Master of Public Health in Population and Reproductive Health.
Keywords
Influence, Male involvement, Mamprusi district, Ghana, Family planning