Table 1 Perceived enablers and barriers for male involvement in the use of modern family planning methods
Quotes | Categories | Sub themes |
|---|---|---|
“.It is a good thing. I would actually encourage everybody to participate” | Positive attitude | Perceived enablers of male involvement in the use of modern family planning methods |
“when I see you going to the health centre with your wife basically to access FP services, definitely I will also be motivated” | Subjective norms | |
“Now for the ones who want to participate, they actually do it because they want to show their partner that they care and [that] they are supportive” | A sign of support | |
“Yes, men can actually participate for as long as it is agreed upon by both the man and the woman” | Mutual consent | |
“I think it is a good thing to get involved in the partner’s use because…., you don’t have enough resources to look after them" | Limited resources | |
“.…. because it helps us to reduce the gender-based violence” “Like if we encourage men also there will be a reduction in the STI…” | Benefits of male involvement | |
Perceived barriers of male involvement in the use of modern family planning methods | ||
“But now if the man and the woman are not agreeing,….they go and get the services behind their man’s back…. So, such a man may not support the wife…” | Lack of male partner consent | |
“They always take that FP are women’s thing. They always think that it is the women to do it.” | Family planning considered a woman’s issue | |
“Those ones who don’t escort maybe because….they are always engaged” | Busy work schedules | |
“Now also that stigma….” “….So, he doesn’t want to be perceived as a weak man, so definitely he cannot get involved” “The society views…like the woman is controlling him…” | Social pressure | |
“Then another factor may also be the religious prohibition……” | Religious prohibition | |
“But to me, I will say, a man escorting the wife to the clinic? It means the man has totally failed to manage his own family or home….” | Gender roles incompatibility | |
“Some men may not want to participate…. the desire to have children” | Desire for children | |
“the reason why the men don’t want to participate is that, women experience side effects, more so over bleeding” | Fear of side effects | |
“I am negative about Uganda’s family to be specific because the agenda has gone wrong” | Misconceptions | |
“I think it is because of inadequate information about FP | Inadequate information | |
“….some of them have no access to the service….FP methods or services are not very near in these village hospitals.” “are not really settled. You just keep walking up and down.” | Inaccessible family planning services | |
“Then the ones who don’t want to participate… because maybe….they were talked to rudely by the nurses at the FP….” | Mistreatment in the health facility | |
“…some men just fear to go to the hospital.” “As a man you feel like out of place because all this line is just full of females. The men are really uncomfortable.” | Unconducive hospital setting |