Effect of Male Involvement in Family Planning Education on Contraceptive Use

The rationale for conducting this study stemmed from the persistent challenges in family planning (FP) utilization observed within pastoralist communities, particularly in the Fentale District of Eastern Ethiopia. Despite progress in modern contraceptive use and male involvement in FP at the national level, these communities continue to face limited male involvement in Family planning and contraceptive coverage. Therefore, the study aimed to address this issue by implementing an integrated behavioral model through a quasi-experimental design. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of various intervention approaches, including strategies to increase male involvement and household-based education, in improving FP utilization among couples in the Fentale District. This evaluation was deemed crucial to address the ongoing challenges and increase contraceptive uptake in pastoralist regions. Fentale District was selected exclusively for this study due to several criteria, including accessibility, social structure, economic strength, and its pastoralist nature. These factors made it an ideal location to examine the impact of interventions on FP utilization within pastoralist communities. In a quasi-experimental study conducted in Fentale District, Eastern Ethiopia, 1496 married couples (748 controls, 748 interventions) were selected through systematic random sampling. Among them, 748 couples (comprising 374 women and 374 men) were assigned to the intervention group. Simultaneously, the remaining 748 couples (also comprising 374 women and 374 men) were assigned to the control group and received routine healthcare access or no specific intervention. It's noteworthy that the 374 men selected for the study were the same individuals as the husbands in the intervention group, participating in household-level or individual-level interventions alongside their wives. Additionally, these men were also part of the Male Involvement Arm, attending community gatherings for a second time, thereby ensuring their participation in both arms of the study.