Determinants of Male Involvement in Family Planning among Male Academic Staff and Residents of the University of Ibadan

Male involvement in family planning is an important strategy for improving reproductive health outcomes and reducing maternal and child morbidities and mortality. Despite its importance, male participation in family planning decision making remains suboptimal in many developing countries, including Nigeria. This study assessed the level of male involvement in family planning decision making and examined the influence of knowledge and selected determinants on male involvement. This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to selected respondents. Data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and percentages, were used to summarize the data, while the chi-square test was used to test the stated hypothesis at a significance level of 0.05. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents had good knowledge of family planning and were aware of different family planning methods and their benefits. Male involvement in family planning was generally moderate to high, particularly in spousal discussion, support, and joint decision-making. Chi-square analysis showed a statistically significant relationship between the level of education and male involvement in family planning. The study concludes that knowledge of family planning plays a significant role in promoting male involvement in family planning decision making. It is therefore recommended that health education and awareness programs should be strengthened and targeted at men and that family planning services should be made more male-friendly to further improve male participation.