Communication key for family planning.

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Public Health
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) have increasingly included data from husbands to provide a more comprehensive understanding of family planning dynamics.
• Previous research indicates that spousal communication significantly influences contraceptive adoption and use, yet data from male perspectives are often limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze data from DHS husband surveys in four African countries (Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Mali) to assess the relationship between husband-wife communication and contraceptive prevalence.
• To investigate discrepancies in reported contraceptive method use between husbands and wives.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from four Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in Burundi (1987), Ghana (1988), Kenya (1988), and Mali (1987), specifically focusing on information collected from husbands.
• Comparison of reported frequencies of family planning discussions between spouses and reported use of various contraceptive methods (male and female) as stated by both husbands and wives.

Main Results:

• A positive association was observed between husband-wife communication about family planning and contraceptive prevalence rates across the surveyed countries.
• Higher contraceptive prevalence correlated with more frequent discussions; Kenya (27% prevalence) had about 2/3 of couples discussing family planning, while Mali (5% prevalence) had only 1/4.
• Discrepancies were noted in reported use of male contraceptive methods, with husbands generally reporting higher usage than wives, particularly for condoms and periodic abstinence.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced spousal communication about family planning is vital for increasing contraceptive uptake and use.
• Programs should be designed to encourage open dialogue between partners regarding contraceptive choices and methods.
• Further research and data collection, including ongoing DHS husband surveys, are needed to fully understand and address gender dynamics in family planning.