Knowledge of Married Men about Family Planning - Khartoum State: Alkalakla Algoba North -2014

Abstract

Background: Family planning allows individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children as well as the spacing and timing of their births.

Objectives: The overall objective was to study the situation of the married men in Alklakla Algoba North regarding their knowledge, attitude and participation of family planning.

Methodology: Community -based descriptive cross sectional study conducted from April 2012 to April 2014 at Alklakla Algoba North in Jabal Awlia Locality - Khartoum State. The estimated sample size is three hundred seventy two participants. The single-stage cluster sampling was selected and all household in the cluster were included using simple random sampling. A standardized administered questionnaire was developed, pre–tested and used to generate information on personal demographic characteristics, general knowledge, attitude and participation about family planning methods. A modified scale (V. poor- V. good) and six points Likert type scale were used. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and presented as tables, pies and pillars coupled with narrative description.

Results: One third of participants (35%) were in age group (30-39). The results showed that the vast majority ( 98% )of participants had ever heard about family planning from

NMJ June 2015 vol.3 No.16 ISSN 1858-6155

mass media source. 78% of the participants recognized the contraceptive pill as a method of family planning; followed by the natural methods (53%) and 44% of participants identified Injection methods; followed by the IUD (5%), then the barrier methods (28%). The implant was identified by 19% of them. 56% of the participants thought that the advantages of FP were health reasons followed by children spacing (%44). 12% of them stated that it was practiced when they had enough children while10% of them pointed that it was good for financial reasons.

In addition the vast majority (94%) of participant knew that family planning methods can obtained from health related facilities . the knowledge of the respondents was statistically significant with the level of education (p-value =0.04) and opinion of men (p-value=0.021).

Conclusion: Most of the interviewed men had ever heard about family planning from mass media source. Good knowledge about types of the methods and from where they obtained the methods. Dissemination of the correct knowledge about the benefits of family planning is highly recommended.