Perception of Men on Family Planning: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Family planning plays a key role in population growth, poverty reduction, and improving maternal health. Family planning advocates call for engaging men in contraceptive decision making, yet little is known about men's contraceptive and pregnancy attitudes and behaviors. The aim of this study was to examine knowledge, attitudes and practice towards family planning of men in Jere Local government area, Borno State. The study employed the survey method and questionnaires were admitted to respondents, it was conducted in 2022. The study population comprised all the men who were aged older than 18 years. A combination of multi-stage and systematic sampling techniques was used to select a sample size of one hundred and fifty respondents used for the study. Related literatures were reviewed and primary data constituted and the inputs used for the analysis of data. Although 92.0% of the men had heard about family planning, only 26% practice it. Most men perceive that family planning make its users promiscuous (40%), their role in family planning conflict with their moral/ cultural/ religious beliefs (46%). Level of education, employment status, number of children and marital setting significantly affected family planning practice. While respondents aged >25years have higher negative perception toward FP than those aged between 18-25 years. X2 =13.253, P<0.010. Also married respondents have higher negative perception on family planning (95.0%) than single respondents (5.0%).X2 =13.276, P<0.010; there is significant relationship between the marital setting of respondents X2=87.780; p<0.0001 and their attitude toward family planning. Respondents age 18-25 years and unmarried seem to have positive perception on family planning. The study have shown that majority of the respondents are aware and had knowledge of family planning and less than half of them practice family planning and most of them had never been involved themselves in family planning; this may be attributed to negative perceptions recorded among them on family planning and health care system. There should be intensive and adequate education programme addressed at the men based on accurate and relevant information to deal with not only the benefits but also the unfounded misconceptions, religious and socio-cultural belief.