Men’s participation in maternal and child health care in Western Uganda: perspectives from the community

Abstract

Background Participation of men in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) is crucial for the reduction of infant and maternal mortality. Men may be influential in making health care decisions that may affect their female partner’s access to health care services, but also as individuals, whose health status has a significant impact on the health of their partners’ and that of their children. However, male involvement is still inadequate due to various reasons. This paper sought to explore the community perspectives towards participation of men in maternal and child health care in Kabale District, Western Uganda. Methods The study used a case study approach. Household questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, direct field observation and document review were employed to collect data. One hundred and twenty-four respondents completed a household questionnaire, eight key informants took part in semi-structured interviews and thirty-six community members (two men and two women groups) participated in focus group discussions. Results The participation of men in maternal and child health care was found to be low. Patriarchal community values and norms influencing gender roles hindered male involvement in MCH. More so, sensitisation on the importance of male involvement was inadequate. Conclusion Men’s participation in MCH is affected by multiple factors emanating from the community and health institutions. Involving men in MCH is critical, and therefore participatory and comprehensive approaches should be applied to encourage participation. Sensitisation of communities is fundamental for increasing awareness of the significance of male involvement in MCH.

Male partners’ involvement in pregnancy related care among married men in Ibadan, Nigeria

“…Although men are not direct beneficiaries of pregnancy related care services, their understanding, participation and support are crucial in order for women to access basic pregnancy related care services. Although many other factors contribute to increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the developing countries, low male involvement is a major determinant and their participation has been shown to be vital for their reduction [19,21,22,41]. Despite the average involvement of men in pregnancy related care in this study, their involvement in performing care tasks such as accompanying their partner for antenatal and postnatal care; assisting in changing diaper of the baby was poor.…”

Understanding factors influencing care seeking for sick children in Ebonyi and Kogi States, Nigeria

“…We found that gender, and sociocultural roles and norms within the home play an important role in care seeking for child illnesses in Kogi and Ebonyi states, Nigeria. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence that suggests that public health programs that exclusively target mothers of young children risk failure when they do not take into account the complexity of intrahousehold dynamics [8,19,30,31]. Seeking permission from a male partner can be a delay in seeking timely care for sick children.…”

Understanding factors influencing care seeking for sick children in Ebonyi and Kogi states, Nigeria

“…We found that gender, and sociocultural roles and norms within the home play an important role in care seeking for child illnesses in Kogi and Ebonyi states, Nigeria. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence that suggests that public health programs that exclusively target mothers of young children risk failure when they do not take into account the complexity of intra-household dynamics (8,19,30,31). Seeking permission from a male partner can be a delay in seeking timely care for sick children.…”