Male Participation in Childbirth in Muaro Jambi Regency Indonesia

Abstract

Male participation affects decision making in finding, reaching, and utilizing childbirth services, especially when women's capacity in decision-making is very limited, lack of access to health resources, heavy workloads, less supportive cultural norms and gender discrimination. This study aims to assess the level of male participation and to analyze the determinants of male participation in childbirth. A cross-sectional study was conducted through a survey of 381 men selected by multistage random sampling in Muaro Jambi District from July to September 2020. The dependent variable was male participation in childbirth and was constructed from six dichotomized indicators. A multiple logistic regression analyses technique was performed using SPSS 24.0 at a significance level of 0.05. The majority of male participations in childbirth in Muaro Jambi Regency was high (54.1%). Simultaneously, the factors related to male participation in childbirth were age (OR = 2.148), wife's education (OR = 2.158), income (OR = 2.092), communication (OR = 2.594), and culture (OR = 80.22). Cultural factor was the most important determinants of male participation in childbirth. Cultural factor was the main determinants of male participation in childbirth in Muaro Jambi District. Information dissemination and advocacy personally and structurally in society need to be done to reduce gender role inequality in decision-making and action to increase male participation in maternal health, especially in childbirth.