The role of community-based health planning and services strategy in involving males in the provision of family planning services: A qualitative study in Southern Ghana

Philip Baba Adongo, Placide Tapsoba, James F. Phillips, Philip Teg Nefaah Tabong, Alison Stone, Emmanuel Kuffour, Selina F. Esantsi, Patricia Akweongo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

62 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Reproductive health and Family Planning (FP) services have been of global concern especially in developing countries where fertility rates are high. Traditionally FP services had always targeted females with little or no attention given to males. To ensure equitable distribution of health services, Ministry of Health (MOH), Ghana adopted the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) as a nationwide health policy with the aim of reducing obstacles to physical and geographical access to health care delivery including FP services. However, not much is known about the extent to which this policy has contributed to male involvement in FP services. This qualitative descriptive study was therefore designed to explore male involvement in FP services in communities with well functioning CHPS and those with less or no functioning CHPS structures. The study further solicited views of the community on the health status of children. Methods. This was a qualitative descriptive study and adapted the design of an ongoing study to assess the impact of male involvement in FP referred to as the Navrongo experiment in Northern Ghana. Twelve focus group discussions were held with both male and female community members, six in communities with functional CHPS and six for communities with less/no-functional CHPS. In addition, fifty- nine (59) in-depth interviews were held with Community Health Officers (CHOs), Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) and Health Managers at both the districts and regional levels. The interviews and discussions were tape recorded digitally, transcribed and entered into QSR Nvivo 10§ssup§

Original languageEnglish
Article number36
JournalReproductive Health
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

Keywords

  • Community-based health planning and services
  • Contraceptive use
  • Family planning
  • Male involvement
  • Reproductive health
  • Southern Ghana
  • Spousal communication

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