Men's attitudes on gender equality and their contraceptive use in Uttar Pradesh India

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Creator
  • Mishra, Anurag
    • Other Affiliation: International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), New Delhi, India
  • Nanda, Priya
    • Other Affiliation: International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), New Delhi, India
  • Speizer, Ilene
    • Affiliation: Carolina Population Center, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Maternal and Child Health
  • Calhoun, Lisa M
    • Affiliation: Carolina Population Center
  • Zimmerman, Allison
    • Other Affiliation: Ex-Consultant and Research Fellow with ICRW, New Delhi, India
  • Bhardwaj, Rochak
    • Other Affiliation: Urban Health Initiative (UHI), New Delhi, FHI360, India
Abstract
  • Abstract Background Men play crucial role in contraceptive decision-making, particularly in highly gender-stratified populations. Past research examined men’s attitudes toward fertility and contraception and the association with actual contraceptive practices. More research is needed on whether men’s attitudes on gender equality are associated with contraceptive behaviors; this is the objective of this study. Methods This study uses baseline data of the Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation (MLE) Project for the Urban Health Initiative in Uttar Pradesh, India. Data were collected from a representative sample of 6,431 currently married men in four cities of the state. Outcomes are current use of contraception and contraceptive method choice. Key independent variables are three gender measures: men’s attitudes toward gender equality, gender sensitive decision making, and restrictions on wife’s mobility. Multivariate analyses are used to identify the association between the gender measures and contraceptive use. Results Most men have high or moderate levels of gender sensitive decision-making, have low to moderate levels of restrictions on wife’s mobility, and have moderate to high levels of gender equitable attitudes in all four cities. Gender sensitive decision making and equitable attitudes show significant positive association and restrictions on wife’s mobility showed significant negative relationship with current contraceptive use. Conclusion The study demonstrates that contraceptive programs need to engage men and address gender equitable attitudes; this can be done through peer outreach (interpersonal communication) or via mass media. Engaging men to be more gender equal may have an influence beyond contraceptive use in contexts where men play a crucial role in household decision-making.
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Resource type
  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Rights holder
  • Anurag Mishra et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
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Journal title
  • Reproductive Health
Journal volume
  • 11
Journal issue
  • 1
Page start
  • 41
Language
  • English
Is the article or chapter peer-reviewed?
  • Yes
ISSN
  • 1742-4755
Bibliographic citation
  • Reproductive Health. 2014 Jun 04;11(1):41
Publisher
  • BioMed Central Ltd
Access right
  • Open Access
Date uploaded
  • August 26, 2015

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