Attitudes and socio-cultural factors affecting male partners’ support on contraceptives use among couples in Bagamoyo district, Tanzania

Background Reproductive and child health issues including contraceptive use was seen as women’ health needs. This made male partners not to be involved in issues pertaining to pregnancy, child care, care for the sick and other matters related to health care. Further to that, male partners traditionally were given mandate in making decisions with regard to number of children the woman should have, preference of sex of the child and other issues related to management of the family. The ICPD interest in male involvement in reproductive health has increased as one of the strategies to overcome male involvement challenges and create opportunities for male partners to understand more and participate in the family planning services. Nowadays most family planning programmes in Tanzania are giving good attention to the understanding of men’s roles in the effective and consistent utilization of contraceptives. However, it is uncertain as to what extent male partners have supported use of modern contraceptive methods in our country. Therefore, this study was intended to understand male partners’ attitudes and the socio-cultural factors affecting their support on contraceptives use among couples in the Bagamoyo District. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used in this study. A total of 400 participants were selected using simple random sampling technique. A questionnaire was administered to male partners in selected four study villages of Zinga, Mapinga, Kerege and Kiwangwa. Also four Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted to male partners i.e. one in each respective village. Descriptive analysis of quantitative data was done using STATA version 11 where frequencies and percentages have been presented in tables. Multivariate logistic regression was used to ascertain determinants of male partners’ involvement and support on contraceptives use to their couples in the study area. Analysis of qualitative data was based on thematic analysis approach. Results Results have shown that majority of the male partners’ couples (62.9%) in the study area were not using modern methods of contraceptives for family planning. This is due to the socio-cultural influence; fear of the associated side effects and change in social life; and lack of sufficient information about the family planning services. Only 28.2% of the male partners had sufficient information about the modern methods of contraceptives. The rest (46.6%) had information but not sufficient and 25.2% had no information at all. Majority (66.9%) got information from their couples; 43.7% from friends; 44.1% from health care service providers; 23.5% at school; and 12.1% during national campaigns. Among the socio-cultural factors mostly hindering male partners involvement and support for contraceptive use include perception that family planning is woman’s activity only (79.7%); fear of the social stigma and embarrassment (30.1%); Cultural beliefs (27.9%); Mens’ decision-making power on reproduction and childbearing (25.2%) and Polygamy (17.5%). Only 37.1% of male partners’ couples were using the modern methods of contraceptives for family planning. The decision to use contraceptives to the majority (84.6%) was made jointly. Only few decisions (13.3%) made by couples and 2.1% male partners’ alone. 94.4% of the male partners were aware of the method of contraceptives that their couple was using. Seventy two per cent (72%) participated in discussions with their couples on family planning issues and 76.9% have accompanied their partner during antenatal care clinic visits. Conclusion Male partners support on contraceptives use among couples in the study area is generally low due to lack of sufficient information and knowledge about the family planning methods and their mechanism of action. The national family planning awareness raising campaigns have failed to reach majorities of men. In addition, family planning services in most of the health facilities are not male friendly. Male partners’ attitude towards contraceptive use among couples is generally negative, mainly due to the fear of the associated side effects as well as perceived risk of change in their social life. Therefore, their involvement and support for contraceptives use is generally low. The most common socio-cultural factors affecting male partner decision making on contraceptives use among couples that should be eliminated is perception that family planning is a woman’s activity; fear of the social stigma and embarrassment; and cultural beliefs. Despite the low male partners support for contraceptive use; still there is evidence of good couple communication. Most of the decisions, whether supportive of the modern methods of contraceptives or not appeared to be made after consultation among couples. Recommendation The government and other stakeholders should work towards creating awareness about the importance of family planning services and the need for male partner involvement and support. This is to ensure that all men in the study area have sufficient and correct information about family planning services in order to clear out misperception, doubts and fears behind the use of the modern family planning methods. Since this study didn’t involve women, further studies are needed to establish the attitudes and socio-cultural factors affecting utilization of modern contraceptives among women as well