Abstract

The drive to include men in family planning programming has been one of the reproductive health strategies employed by the Ugandan Government to reduce maternal mortality rates related to the pregnancy and childbirth period. The recognition of gender equity as a requirement for improved health has facilitated more attention on calculatingly engaging men, including male youth, in supporting and using Family Planning (FP) services and products. Interventions that engage men in maternal and newborn health during prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services resulted in more positive health outcomes. Male involvement is an approach used by the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health 2 Action Project (WISH2ACTION) that improved FP uptake among women. The study was designed to document male involvement’s effect on the uptake of FP methods under the WISH2ACTION.

Analysis of data on five Women’s Integrated Sexual Health 2 Action Project indicators: Injectables, oral (cycles), Implants, Intrauterine devices and Trans Vaginal tubal ligation was done retrospectively. These data were assessed for independence assumptions. Negative binomial regression was the best model since it’s Akaike information criterion-7085797and Bayesian information criterion -6723.904 statistics much Lower.

Male involvement was assessed through acceptability in taking up of Male or Female and Vasectomy. Over 552 Observations were extracted with injectables and implants with the highest mean number of uptakes. Intrauterine devices (IUD) have the lowest uptake among all FP methods. Negative binomial regression models show that the Male Involvement statistically affected the uptake of 3 out of 5 FP methods among women under WISH2ACTION. There is an increased rate of uptake of oral (cycles) and Trans Vaginal tubal ligation (BTL) at 0.5%, 3.4%, respectively, with a downward effect on Implants (Implanon-3yrs Implants & Jadelle-5yrs Implants) uptake at 0.2%. However, the male involvement did not affect the uptake of Injectables and Intrauterine devices (IUDs).

Continuously explore the opportunity that increased Male involvement to improve family planning uptake among women. Sustainable health education is carried out in communities to improve the understanding of males on the use of family planning methods for women backed by affordable commodities. The use of poverty pivotal tools in audio talking and video cards with men specific messages regarding uptake of family planning services for their loved ones is key.

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