Male involvement has shown to yield positive results in the health of the women and their children, according to many studies conducted earlier in India and Abroad. This study thus subscribes to the hypothesis that interventions that include men during pregnancy and childbirth has greater and positive impact on maternal and child health. Taking references from similar studies which assessed male involvement in either qualitative or quantitative fashion, this study utilizes mixed methods wherein the quantitative data and qualitative data were collected concurrently to understand Male involvement in terms of Awareness levels, reproductive health patterns, preferences and perception regarding the health care services available, factors influencing health services seeking behavior, male partner’s support during all the significant events during pregnancy, delivery and childcare, financial and emotional support from the male partner, assistance obtained from 'Mitanins', Auxiliary nurse midwives, 'Anganwad'i workers, Doctors, and assistance derived from the social network, i.e Neighbors and family members. The findings of the study maybe useful further to frame appropriate and relevant policies to encourage male involvement in their partner’s pregnancy and childbirth.
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
STUDY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
STUDY APPROACH AND METHODS
SAMPLING PATTERN
STUDY ANALYSIS
IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS
STUDY SUGGESTIONS & CONCLUSION
LIMITATIONS
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to examine the status and patterns of male involvement in maternal health within the Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, exploring how male participation in decision-making, planning, and support during pregnancy and childbirth influences maternal health outcomes and the utilization of health services.
- Assessing current levels of male involvement in pregnancy and childbirth
- Identifying barriers to male participation in maternal health services
- Analyzing the impact of socio-economic factors on male engagement
- Evaluating the effectiveness of existing communication and sensitization strategies
- Formulating policy recommendations to improve male involvement in reproductive health
Excerpt from the Book
INTRODUCTION
The precursor of the concept of Male involvement in the reproductive health programs was seen in the International conference of population development in Cairo 1994, but in India very few measures have been taken to encourage male involvement in the their partner’s reproductive health, Maternal and child mortality in the country is yet to come down and the reasons of the mortality can be seen on various counts. Be it on account of standard delays, or referral, or quality treatment or health consciousness behavior or service delivery pattern. All those aspects are hovering around reproductive health focusing mostly on the women’s health and the interventions are planned with women.
The social structure of India subscribes to the norm of keeping men distant from the maternal and child health issues, even though the society is rapidly evolving in its ideologies a large percentage of the rural population find it difficult to understand the importance of the concept of Male involvement in pregnancy and childbirth, they rely on the traditional Dais/Midwives for checkups and delivery, who are often untrained exposing themselves to a range of complications.
There are enough evidences existing in India which suggests that male involvement has a greater net impact on the maternal and child health and can increase the health service utilization as well as outreach of various maternal and child health services being provided. As rightly concluded by (Dudgeon and Inhorn 2004) that men have the capability to influence the health outcomes of Their partners and children “positively” or “Negatively”, “Directly” or “ Indirectly”. This statement fits the Indian scenario due to the high status of a decision maker which is given to an average Indian Male which when directed in an efficient way can actually contribute in reducing the maternal and infant mortality rate in the country which is very much the need of the hour.
Summary of Chapters
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Provides an overview of the exploratory study conducted in Bilaspur, highlighting the hypothesis that male involvement yields positive maternal and child health outcomes and summarizing key findings regarding family types and awareness levels.
INTRODUCTION: Discusses the global context and the specific Indian scenario regarding maternal and child mortality, emphasizing the necessity of integrating men into reproductive health strategies.
STUDY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Defines male involvement within the scope of the study and outlines the core questions regarding the level of participation and methods for improvement.
STUDY APPROACH AND METHODS: Describes the mixed methods research design used, including semi-structured interviews with 50 couples to capture both quantitative and qualitative data.
SAMPLING PATTERN: Details the random stratified sampling of couples from the District hospital and various Anganwadi centers in the Bilaspur district.
STUDY ANALYSIS: Analyzes the data to identify linkages between male involvement and health outcomes, noting the impact of family structure and education.
IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS: Presents key empirical findings, such as the correlation between non-involvement of husbands and C-section deliveries, and the disparity in involvement between nuclear and joint families.
STUDY SUGGESTIONS & CONCLUSION: Proposes actionable strategies, including better training for Mitanins and incentive schemes for husbands, to enhance male involvement.
LIMITATIONS: Addresses the constraints of the study, noting the lack of representativeness of the entire Bilaspur district and the specific focus on urban-influenced health facilities.
Keywords
Male involvement, Maternal health, Childbirth, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, Reproductive health, ANC, PNC, Mitanins, Anganwadi, Maternal mortality, Gender attitudes, Social networking, Birth planning, Public health
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the impact and level of male involvement in their partners' pregnancy and childbirth within the Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, India.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed in the study?
Key themes include reproductive health awareness, birth planning, the role of community health volunteers, the influence of family structure on health decisions, and barriers to institutional delivery.
What is the main objective or research question?
The primary objective is to assess the current level of male involvement in maternal health and to identify effective methods to increase this participation to ensure safe deliveries and reduce maternal and child mortality.
Which scientific methodology was applied?
The study utilized an exploratory, mixed-methods research design, incorporating concurrent quantitative data collection and qualitative in-depth interviews with 50 couples.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The work covers study methodology, sampling criteria, analysis of survey findings, important observations regarding husband participation, and strategic suggestions for government programs.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Essential keywords include male involvement, maternal health, Bilaspur, reproductive health, birth planning, and social determinants of health.
How does family structure influence the findings?
The study found that nuclear families generally show better indicators of male involvement in maternal health services compared to couples living in joint families.
What role do Mitanins play according to the research?
Mitanins are identified as valuable community health volunteers, though the study notes a critical need for better training to enable them to counsel males effectively.
Why did the study emphasize urban-influenced facilities in Bilaspur?
The study utilized the District Hospital and Anganwadi centers to observe social constructs and health service utilization, noting that these areas reflect specific urban dynamics which influence male behavior.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Vijeyata Naidu (Autor:in), 2015, Male invovlement in their partner's pregnancy and childbirth, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/304003
