Determinants of Male Involvement in Family Planning and Reproductive Health in Bangladesh

Abstract

This study examined the factors that influence male participation in family planning and reproductive health in Bangladesh. Male involvement in family planning and reproductive health was measured by a simple composite index. This study revealed that male involvement in family planning is high about 63.2 percent in this area. Chi-squared tests and binary logistic regression analysis were applied to determine the relationship between various kinds of variables and the probability of male involvement in family planning and reproductive health. The findings from the bivariate analysis suggested that age of husband, age of women, number of living children, women’s education, women’s occupation, husband’s education, husband occupation, knowledge on contraceptive methods and STDs, social network and inter-spouse communication had significantly associated with male involvement in family planning and reproductive health. The result of logistic regression analysis showed that males were more likely to participate in family planning and reproductive health whose wives were educated , ,engaged in skilled works, acquainted with high knowledge on contraception, soundly interconnected with social network and get message about family planning and reproductive health from it, favorable spousal communication, husbands and wives had high age. Family planning programme should emphasis on male involvement in the action of family planning and reproductive health procedures in Bangladesh.