Vol. 5, Issue 1, Part A (2023)

Background: Male participation in partner modern contraceptive use is a viable strategy for improving modern contraceptive prevalence among married women. Increasing the uptake of modern contraceptives has been shown to significantly reduce maternal deaths resulting from unsafe abortions due to unintended pregnancies. In Kenya, the level of management in their partner’s use of modern contraceptives is low. Therefore, it is imperative to establish the factors that influence the participation of men. This study explored the socio-cultural factors that influence married men’s participation in their partners’ contraceptive use in Dallas sub-location, Embu County, Kenya.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was undertaken involving married men aged 18 to 64 years. Data were collected using a semi-structured and interview-administered questionnaire developed by the researchers. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0 was used to analyze data. Frequencies and percentages were used to summarize study findings. Association between the dependent and independent variables was analyzed using the Chi-square test. P-value of < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant association between the variables. Study findings were presented in narrative form and by use of tables.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 38.8 (SD+9.3). The majority of the participants (82.9%) indicated that their partners were using a modern contraceptive method. Most participants (86.3%) were participating in their partner modern contraceptive use. The main socio-cultural determinants of men participation were the number of children (p<0.01) and cultural attitudes (p<0.01).
Conclusion: The level of participation in partner’s modern contraceptive use is high among married men. However, cultural norms continue to hinder their engagement in modern contraceptives. There is a need to develop a programme to educate men on the importance of their involvement in order to dilute the cultural barriers thus enhancing greater participation in their partner’s modern contraceptive use.