Description
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the level of knowledge and attitude of married male workers about vasectomy and also the factors influencing the attitude of married men working in Babcock University towards vasectomy. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 200 participants from the academic and administrative work divisions of the University and a self-constructed questionnaire was administered and 150 were retrieved and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that majority (42.7%) of the participants were between the ages of 31 to 40 years, Christians (97.3%), of the Yoruba tribe (55.3%), had a bachelor’s degree (46%) and were non-academic staff (53.3%). Majority (38%) of participants had adequate knowledge and 62.7% had positive attitude towards vasectomy. There was no association between participants’ level of education and their level of knowledge of vasectomy, however, a significant association was observed between participants’ level
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of knowledge and their attitude towards vasectomy (χ2 = 53.89, P≤0.05). The risk of spouse’s health (54%) was the major factor influencing positive attitude and the need of more children (41.3%) was the main factor influencing negative attitude towards vasectomy. There is therefore need to develop awareness programs in order to equip the population with valid information and thus increasing their knowledge about vasectomy. Specific strategies should be developed in order to tackle the identified barriers hindering the acceptance of vasectomy among married men.
Key words: Knowledge, attitude, vasectomy, family planning, married men.
TABLE OF CONTENT
TITLE PAGE
APPROVAL PAGE
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ABSTRACT.
TABLE OF CONTENT
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
- AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
- LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
- DEFINITION OF TERMS
- PROJECT ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
- REVIEW OF THE STUDY
- CONCEPTUAL REVIEW
- THEORETICAL REVIEW OF THE STUDY
- PURPOSES OF FAMILY PLANNING
- EMPIRICAL REVIEW OF THE STUDY
- ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF FAMILY PLANNING
- REVIEW OF MODERN METHODS OF FAMILY PLANNING
- PROVIDERS OF FAMILY PLANNING
- BENEFITS OF USING FAMILY PLANNING
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
- INTRODUCTION
- STUDY AREA
- RESEARCH DESIGN
- SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
- DATA COLLECTION
- ETHICAL APPROVAL
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULT ANALYSIS
4.1. RESULT ANALYSIS
4.2 DISCUSSION
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND REFERENCES
- CONCLUSION
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Family planning has beneficial effects in terms of sustainable socio-economic development and protection of the environment (Alemayehu, 2012). Unfortunately, most family planning programs in Nigeria have primarily targeted women (Onasoga et al., 2013) and men often do not participate in reproductive health matters. According to Odu et al. (2006), Nigerian men still have poor knowledge and attitude towards family planning despite global move to increase the involvement of men in reproductive health matters. A concerted effort is there- fore needed to enhance men’s knowledge and increase their involvement in reproductive health (Ezegwui and Enwereji, 2009).
Sterilization, which includes vasectomy, is one of the important options available to married men who have decided to end childbearing, however, a number of identified factors affect the acceptance of vasectomy among men. In a qualitative study conducted by Bunce et al. (2007) using a focus group discussion and in-depth interviews to assess factors affecting vasectomy acceptability in Tanzania. Their findings showed that economical factors, spousal influence, religion, provider reputation and avai- lability, uncertainty about the future and poor vasectomy knowledge were major factors that influenced vasectomy decision making among men.
Knowledge and attitude towards vasectomy have been reported to have significant influence on its uptake among men. For example, a study conducted by Ezegwui and Enwereji (2009) reported that only 6.8% of men may accept vasectomy with the knowledge they currently have while 89% will not. This finding was also linked to the fact that majority of the men believed that sterilization should be left for women only. In the same vein, a study con- ducted in Pakistan reported that men felt that vasectomy could cause impotence and is exclusively meant for prisoners (Nishtar et al., 2012). These are examples of myths held by men which have affected their attitude and acceptance of Vasectomy. Worldwide, only about 3 to 6% of couples are using vasectomy as a method of contraception (Pile and Barone, 2009).
The low acceptance of vasectomy has also been reported in the developed countries. The result of a National survey in the United States of America showed that only 13.3% of married men reported having had a vasectomy done (Anderson et al., 2010). Also, another American survey reported that only 6% of married men have undergone vasectomy (Eisenberg and Lipshultz, 2010). This corroborates the opinion of Shih et al. (2014) that despite the lower risk, high cost-efficiency, and high efficacy of vasectomy compared with female sterilization, more couples from the United States of America rely on female sterilization than vasectomy. Reasons for low use of vasectomy included lack of knowledge and mis- conceptions about the procedure, lack of access, provider bias and patents preferences.
Healthcare professionals and public health educators have important roles to play in order to convey correct information about vasectomy to the population thereby increasing its acceptability. Unfortunately, Okunola et al. (2009) reported that majority of health care workers were unwilling to accept vasectomy and none of them had ever had vasectomy done. Similarly, Ebeigbe et al. (2011) reported that despite good knowledge about vasectomy among Nigerian resident doctors, only 41.3% would opt for it while 89.4% of doctors counselled often for bilateral tubal ligation, only 5.8% did vasectomy.
In order to increase the acceptance of vasectomy among men, awareness programmes need to be developed and conducted to enhance men’s knowledge and promote positive attitude towards vasectomy. It is in light of this that the researchers sought to assess the knowledge and attitude of married men about vasectomy as a method of family planning.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
In the past, family-planning programs have focused attention primarily on women, because of the need to free women from excessive child-bearing, and to reduce maternal and infant mortality through the use of modern methods of contraception. Most of the family-planning services were offered within maternal and child health (MCH) centers, most research and information campaigns focused on women and this has reinforced the misconception that family planning is largely a woman’s business, with the man playing a very peripheral role especially in a society where male supremacy and virility is very important and is marked by Procreation. Hence, this is a descriptive study designed to assess the knowledge and attitude of men towards vasectomy as a method of family planning.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main aim of this study is to investigated the level of knowledge and attitude of married male workers about vasectomy and also the factors influencing the attitude of married men working in Babcock University towards vasectomy. The objectives of this work are:
- To assess the level of knowledge of men on vasectomy as a family planning method
- To determine the attitude of men towards vasectomy
- To determine factors influencing men attitude towards vasectomy
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
It will provide the health care professionals verifiable data on knowledge and attitude of men towards vasectomy which will in turn help to design programmes to increase knowledge and improve attitude of men towards vasectomy as a method of family planning.
This study will further help policy makers and stakeholders to plan and implement various delivery strategies to integrate men into family planning. It will enlighten and increase general public’s awareness towards male involvement in family planning and motivate potential male clients to seek family planning services. All these are very crucial to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality rate, as well as easy the responsibility bore by women in terms of decision making on family planning methods.
1.5 LIMITATION OF STUDY
As we all know that no human effort to achieve a set of goals goes without difficulties, certain constraints were encountered in the course of carrying out this project and they are as follows:-
- Difficulty in information collection: I found it too difficult in laying hands of useful information regarding this work and this course me to visit different libraries and internet for solution.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Time Constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In the course of carrying this study, numerous sources were used which most of them are by visiting libraries, consulting journal and news papers and online research which Google was the major source that was used.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
KNOWLEDGE: is information and understanding about a subject which a person has, or which all people have.
ATTITUDE: is a psychological construct, a mental and emotional entity that inheres in, or characterizes a person.
VASECTOMY: is a surgical procedure for male sterilization or permanent contraception. During the procedure, the male vasa deferentia are cut and tied or sealed so as to prevent sperm from entering into the urethra and thereby prevent fertilization of a female through sexual intercourse.
FAMILY PLANNING: the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their births. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary infertility.
MARRIED MAN: Is a woman’s partner in marriage.
1.8 PROJECT ORGANIZATION
The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work, chapter two presents the literature review of the study, chapter three describes the methods applied, chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 CONCLUSION
Contrary to previous studies which reported inadequate knowledge about vasectomy among men in Nigeria, this study has found that men in the study population had relatively adequate knowledge and positive attitude towards vasectomy. Since knowledge level was observed to be significantly associated with individual’s attitude towards vasectomy, it is however, imperative that further education and counselling be provided to improve men’s knowledge thereby promoting positive attitude towards vasectomy as a method of family planning. Specific strategies should be developed in order to tackle the identified barriers hindering the acceptance of vasectomy among married men.
