Knowledge, attitude and practice of husbands towards modern family planning in Mukalla, Yemen
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Date
2007
Authors
Yahya Khamis Ahmed Almualm
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Abstract
The aim of this study is to asses the knowledge, attitude and practice of modern
family planning among husbands in Mukalla, Yemen. This study was a crossXV
sectional study involving 400 husbands living in Alamol and Almustagbal quarters
in Mukalla. These husbands were selected from households randomly selected
from the two quarters. Husbands who do not meet pre-determined criteria were
replaced with those from the nearest house. The selected husbands were
interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The prevalence of family planning
practice among the husbands were 39.0% and 44.3% among their wives. Only
44 (11.0%) of the husbands and 83 (20.8%) of the wives were currently
practicing modern family planning. There were only 77 couples (19.3%) where
both husbands and wives have practiced family planning, 79 (19.8%) of couples
where husbands practice but their wives do not, 100 (25.0%) of couples where
husbands do not practice but wives do and 144 (36.0%) where both husbands
and wives do not practice any family planning. Among users, the condom was
the most common method used by the husbands (88.6%), while the pill was the
most common method used by wives (54.2%) followed closely by intra-uterine
devices (43.4%). More than 90% of husbands knew about pills, intra-uterine
devices and condoms. Most of the husbands (89.3%) have positive attitudes
towards family planning and agreed that modern methods are more effective
than traditional methods. The majority of husbands (51.3%) agree that husbands
should also practice family planning. However, 172 husbands (43.0%) felt that
family planning should be practiced only by the wife. About 282 husbands
(70.5%) believed that the decision regarding practice of family planning should
be decided by husbands and 225 (56.3%) felt the wife only should decide on
practicing family planning. The results indicate ambivalence by some husbands
on the main decision maker for family planning practice.
Nearly all husbands (>90%) were aware of the common types of family planning
except for male sterilization (51.0%). Male sterilization is uncommon in this study
compared to female sterilization, which may explain the lower level of
awareness. Very few husbands (2.0%) had poor attitude scores towards family
planning. Among the positive attitude husbands, 132 (33.0%) had moderate
scores while 247 (61.8%) had good scores and only 13 (3.3%) of the husbands
had very good scores indicating that the husbands generally have positive
attitudes towards family planning.
Multiple regression analysis of the total knowledge score revealed significant
association with years completed education of husband, years completed
education of wife and the number of living children. For the attitude score,
multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant association with years
completed education of husbands, the number of living children and monthly
income of the wives.
Family planning programs in Yemen should also focus on Yemeni husbands to
participate as joint decision makers in modern family planning practice. This can
be achieved through targeted family planning education and promotion programs
to Yemeni husbands. Religious leaders must be involved in clarifying religious
issues regarding family planning.
Description
Master
Keywords
Biological science , Husband , Modern family planning