Men’s perceptions on their roles and responsibilities regarding family planning and use of contraceptives: A case in KwaThema.
Date
2017
Authors
Lubisi, Chuma
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Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that most men are brought up to initiate sex but are not taught to take charge in making decisions around fatherhood entry, as though the two are not related. Because of this, most men find themselves entering unplanned fatherhood and unable to cope with the consequences of having children at undesirable stages of their lives, whereby they are either unemployed, too young or immature and unwilling to raise a child. The aim of this study is to explore men’s perceptions regarding their roles and responsibilities on family planning and use of contraceptives. The study adopted qualitative research approach. Purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques were used, which are non-probability sampling techniques. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 men from the township of Kwa-Thema. The interviews were 45 minutes to an hour long conducted in English and were translated to IsiZulu or Xhosa where the was need, were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. It is hoped that the study contributes to the already existing body of literature on men’s perceptions of their roles and responsibilities regarding family planning and use of contraceptives. It is also hoped that the study contributes to policies on the reproductive health of men and family planning, as well as to social work interventions aimed at enhancing men’s participation in family planning and use of contraceptives. One of the findings was that men do have existing knowledge about family planning and use of contraceptives but that does not really mean that they are using them therefore it is important that the government creates more programs for men. This study then concludes that even though men displayed knowledge on family planning methods available for both men and women, this did not mean that they were taking part in supporting their partners in usage of contraceptives nor it meant that they were using them. To increase the number of male involvement in family planning and use of contraceptives there is a need to educate them and involve them more in these programs.
Keywords: Family planning, contraceptives, men, roles, responsibilities.