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EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MALE INVOLVEMENT AND MATERNAL HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION IN DELTA STATE

5,000.00

ABSTRACT

Maternal mortality remains unacceptably high in Nigeria, and the support of male partners has been increasingly recognised as a critical determinant of women’s use of maternal health services. This study explored the relationship between male involvement and maternal healthcare utilization among women of childbearing age in Asaba, Delta State. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted, guided by House’s Social Support Theory. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample of 114 women with male partners who had experienced at least one childbirth was drawn by simple random sampling from women attending maternal and child health services in selected public health facilities in Asaba; 110 validly completed questionnaires were retrieved, giving a response rate of 96.5 per cent. Data were collected with a validated self-structured questionnaire (test-retest reliability index r = 0.83) and analysed using frequencies and simple percentages presented in tables and charts. Findings showed that only 43.6% of the women reported a high level of male involvement, with financial support (76.4%) being the commonest form of involvement and accompaniment to antenatal clinic (34.5%) the least. Overall, 59.1% of the women had adequate maternal healthcare utilization. Adequate utilization was markedly higher among women with high male involvement (75.0%) than among those with low male involvement (46.8%), indicating a positive relationship between the two variables. The factors hindering male involvement included the cultural perception of pregnancy as a woman’s affair (72.7%), men’s work commitments (67.3%), lack of awareness (63.6%) and an unwelcoming facility environment (56.4%). The study concluded that male involvement is positively related to maternal healthcare utilization and recommended male-targeted health education, couple-friendly maternity services and community re-orientation on shared responsibility in maternal health. (NOTE: Findings are based on illustrative simulated data to be replaced with field data.)

Keywords: Male involvement, Maternal healthcare utilization, Antenatal care, Skilled birth attendance, Asaba.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………. 1

1.1 Background of the Study……………………………………………………………………………………. 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………………………………. 3

1.3 Objectives of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

1.4 Research Questions……………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

1.5 Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………………………………. 5

1.6 Scope of the Study…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………………………. 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………………………. 7

2.1 Conceptual Review……………………………………………………………………………………………. 7

2.1.1 Concept of Maternal Healthcare Utilization……………………………………………………. 7

2.1.2 Concept of Male Involvement in Maternal Healthcare…………………………………….. 7

2.1.3 Dimensions and Forms of Male Involvement…………………………………………………. 8

2.1.4 Relationship between Male Involvement and Maternal Healthcare Utilization……. 9

2.1.5 Barriers to Male Involvement in Maternal Healthcare……………………………………… 9

2.2 Theoretical Review………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

2.2.1 Social Support Theory……………………………………………………………………………….. 10

2.2.2 Application of the Theory to the Present Study…………………………………………….. 10

2.3 Empirical Review……………………………………………………………………………………………. 11

2.4 Summary of Literature Review and Research Gap………………………………………………. 13

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………. 15

3.1 Research Design……………………………………………………………………………………………… 15

3.2 Research Setting……………………………………………………………………………………………… 15

3.3 Target Population…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 16

3.4 Sample Size Determination………………………………………………………………………………. 16

3.5 Sampling Technique………………………………………………………………………………………… 17

3.6 Instrument for Data Collection………………………………………………………………………….. 17

3.7 Validity of the Instrument…………………………………………………………………………………. 18

3.8 Reliability of the Instrument……………………………………………………………………………… 18

3.9 Method of Data Collection……………………………………………………………………………….. 18

3.10 Method of Data Analysis………………………………………………………………………………… 19

3.11 Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………………………………………. 19

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS………………………………….. 20

4.1 Socio-Demographic Data of Respondents…………………………………………………………… 20

4.2 Answering the Research Questions……………………………………………………………………. 22

Research Question 1: What is the level of male involvement in maternal healthcare among women of childbearing age in Asaba, Delta State?……………………………………………………………….. 22

Research Question 2: What is the level of maternal healthcare utilization among women of childbearing age in Asaba, Delta State?………………………………………………………………………………….. 23

Research Question 3: What is the relationship between male involvement and maternal healthcare utilization among the women?…………………………………………………………………………….. 24

Research Question 4: What are the factors hindering male involvement in maternal healthcare in the study area?……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 25

4.3 Summary of Findings………………………………………………………………………………………. 26

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………………………………………………………………………… 27

5.1 Discussion of Findings…………………………………………………………………………………….. 27

5.1.1 Level of Male Involvement in Maternal Healthcare………………………………………. 27

5.1.2 Level of Maternal Healthcare Utilization……………………………………………………… 28

5.1.3 Relationship between Male Involvement and Maternal Healthcare Utilization….. 28

5.1.4 Factors Hindering Male Involvement in Maternal Healthcare…………………………. 29

5.2 Implications of the Study for Nursing………………………………………………………………… 30

5.3 Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………………………………………… 30

5.4 Contributions to Knowledge……………………………………………………………………………… 30

5.5 Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 31

5.6 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 32

5.7 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………………………. 32

5.8 Suggestions for Further Studies…………………………………………………………………………. 33

REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 34

APPENDIX I: LETTER OF INTRODUCTION AND INFORMED CONSENT……………… 36

APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE……………………………………………………………………………. 37

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