Background of the Study
Family planning among couples is a topic that is rarely talked about as the practice is less likely to be supported by the male counterpart. Family planning practices help individuals or couples to avoid unwanted pregnancies, regulate the intervals between pregnancies, control the time of birth in relation to the age of the parents and determine the number of children in the family (Reshma 2015). Though contraceptive use has increased worldwide over the last couple of years, the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in low resources countries is very low. An average of 25% of couples in Sub-Saharan Africa who want to space their children do not use any form of family planning method. A report from the National AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey (NARHS), 2012, in Nigeria indicated that while awareness of contraceptive was high, the proportion of females using any method and a modern method of contraception was 13% and 10% respectively. According to Park, (2007), the methods of modern contraceptives available at the regional and national levels include: pills, intrauterine contraceptive device, injectables, implants, male condom, female condom, male and female sterilization, diaphragm, foam/jelly, lactational ammenorrhoea and emergency contraception.
Bizarrely, most men in communities world over have less involvement in issues of family planning as evidenced in a number of research that show that it is women only who visit the health facility to seek contraceptive methods to plan the size of their families. However, the ideal situation, according to Bill, Gady, Hanson, Tafer (2017) is that men’s involvement in decision about sex, contraception and child bearing strongly influences sexual and contraception behavior, significantly strengthens and reduces discord in relationships and reinforces a man’s responsibility for the children he fathers. Although the above citation explains the ideal situation and the benefits of couples’ involvement in contraceptive methods, most Nigerian men still shun accessing the service with their wives. Scientists have since discovered different methods of contraception for men. According to the New Zealand Family Planning (2015), the contraceptive methods include the implant or intra uterine device (IUD), hormonal contraceptives such as the pill and depo Provera injection, barrier methods through use of condoms and permanent contraceptive methods such as vasectomy and tubal ligation. Other methods include fertility awareness methods where people are educated on the signs of fertility and the menstrual cycle in order to help them plan or avoid pregnancy.
Contrarily, there are, however, myths and misconceptions surrounding the use and the different methods of family planning not only among women, who are most users, but also among their male counterparts. One of the misconceptions is the fear of infertility resulting from contraceptive use which is prominent. A study conducted in Tanzania (Mbeya region, Handeni and Sinyanga districts) indicated that contraceptives acceptance among men was as a result of men having knowledge and awareness of the importance of family planning as they believed larger families were more costly than smaller ones, (Sandararajan, 2019). They also believed that it was their responsibility to allow women to use family planning.But on the other hand a research conducted in Kenya reviewed that the acceptability rate was very low among men. In certain situations, married women used contraceptives secretly as their husbands were not cooperative (Matlala, 2016). Although most men in Nigeria have knowledge on family planning, a fraction of some men, particularly in Southern Nigeria region reviewed that family planning methods among women promotes promiscuity. The research reviewed that this negative attitude of menwas as result of misconception about family planning, poor knowledge on benefit of contraceptives. Against these lies the backdrop that prompted the researcher’s interest on this topic.
Statement of the Problem
In recent times, contraception use has a wide range of benefits for men and women of reproductive age, but it is one of underutilized public interventions in Nigeria mainly because of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the use of the different methods in the study area especially among men. According to Gady, Hanson & Tafer, (2017) this is because men fall under a special category of the population that is currently underserved and inadequately targeted by reproductive health programs. Furthermore, men in most communities have the overall authority and decision making responsibility on all family matters including reproductive health, therefore involving men in family planning has been recognized as very important world over.
Intuitively, in Nigeria men have not shared equally with women the responsibility for fertility regulation and planning for a family (Ringheim, 2017). This interest stems from the widely held belief that in the patriarchal, traditional African family, the role of husbands is paramount in couples' decisions about fertility regulation.2 Although this belief is widely supported by the research of many scholars, there are relatively few empirical studies of the family planning knowledge, attitudes and practices of African men. However, their participation is crucial as they have strong influence on women’s health, their access to health care and usage of family services (Drennan 2018). The traditional African pattern of male involvement in fertility decision-making is clearly reflected in existing studies of men's influence over these matters in Nigeria. In a study carried out among married Nigerian students, one out of every five women who were not using a contraceptive method gave husband's objection as the reason for nonuse.On the other hand most of these studies were conducted some time ago, and more recent research throughout Africa, particularly in Nigeria, has shown an decrease among both men and women in knowledge about, favorable attitudes toward and ever-use of contraceptive. Based on this assumption, the study attempts to evaluate knowledge attitude and acceptance of family planning practice among married men on Oku Clan In Uyo local government area.
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