Factors Associated With The Use of Family Planning Among Men in The Urban District of Mandiana, Guinea

Abstract

CONTE Ibrahima*, BAH Oumou Hawa, KADIO Kadio Jean-Jacques Olivier, SIDIBE Salimatou Siaka, SOW Alhassane II, BAH Elhadj Mamoudou, DIALLO Abdourahamane, TOURE Abdoulaye and SY Telly

Introduction: family planning is defined as a means by which couples can decide when to conceive a pregnancy in order to promote the health and well-being of the family. The aim of this study was to analyse men's knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding family planning.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out from November 2022 to February 2023 in the urban commune of Mandiana and focused on men aged at least 15 years. We used cluster sampling. Individual interviews were conducted during visits to selected households using a standardised questionnaire by interviewers. The data collected was entered into Excel and analysed using R studio 4.4.1 software. A descriptive analysis was carried out for the qualitative variables in the form of percentages, and for the quantitative variables in the form of median with interquartiles. Chi-square and Fisher-exact tests were used for comparisons of proportions. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare medians.

Results: In all, we recorded 92 men using a family planning method out of a total of 339 men surveyed, giving a prevalence rate of 27%. Men aged 15-30 were the most numerous. Almost all the men interviewed were Muslim (86.7%). Farmers/breeders and manual workers were the most represented socio-professional categories (22% each). Married people (monogamous) were predominant in 65.82% of cases. More than 2/3 (71%) of them said they had heard of family planning, and the media was the main source of information (60%). Birth spacing (57%) was the main aim of family planning. Among the respondents, 55.8% of men were in favour of family planning, including 50.7% for family health and savings. In terms of current use of methods, 40.9% of men used contraception with their partner, 35.8% of whom had been involved in choosing the method. The men who said they were using family planning at the time of the survey were older than those who were not (Me (IQR): 40 years (29, 51) vs 30 years (23, 43); p= 0.002. Similarly, the proportions of polygamous married men (54%) and monogamous married men (39%) were significantly different from those of single men (p=0.023). Next, a significant association was observed between current use at the time of the survey and having a favourable opinion of the practice of family planning (p<0.001), participating in the choice of their wife's family planning method (p<0.001), discussing family planning with their wife (p<0.001) and accompanying their wife to the health centre for family planning-related visits (p<0.001). Men who reported discussing family planning with their wives (ORa = 26.3; CI95% = [8.39, 98.6]) were more likely to use family planning routinely.

Conclusion: This study shows a significant proportion of men using contraceptive methods in urban Mandiana. Family planning programmes must include men at all levels of health promotion and family planning education in order to increase couples' acceptance and use of contraceptive methods.

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