KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF MALE PARTNERS TOWARDS CAESAREAN SECTION IN IBADAN NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, IBADAN, OYO STATE

Abstract

The under utilisation of caesarean section poses a major problem in developing countries. Acceptance and refusal of caesarean section are both major indicators for maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. Prevalence of caesarean section is low in Nigeria pointing to a need in the delivery of the procedure. To better understand the reason why women do or do not utilise caesarean sections, their male partners have to be factored in especially in sub- Saharan Africa amongst which Nigeria is a country. Husbands in the traditional Nigerian cultures have authority over their wives and the decisions they make. This study is designed to investigate the knowledge and attitude of male partners towards caesarean section in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State. This study was a cross-sectional study design and 323 male partners were selected from 12 communities in the Local Government Area. A Multi-stage sampling technique comprising of simple random sampling and systematic sampling was applied to select the study participants. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information on the knowledge and attitude of male partners toward caesarean section. The knowledge of the respondents was assessed using an 18 point scale and scores were categorised as poor (0-6), fair (6-12), and good (>12). The attitude of respondents was also assessed using a 10-point scale and the scores were categorised as negative (≤5) and positive (>5). The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Fisher's exact test and regression at p ≤ 0.05 level of significance.Mean age of the respondents was 44.8±11.4 years. The largest percentage by age was men from 40 to 60 years of age (44.0%). The predominant ethnic group was the Yoruba ethnic group (91.0%). Most of the respondents were married (91.3%) and a few others were single (5.3%), divorced (0.9%) or separated (8%) The study shows that the highest percentage of those with a positive attitude (51.3%) had tertiary education. Among the 47.7% respondents that had tertiary education, 77.9% had good knowledge about caesarean section. Most of the respondents had an average monthly income below 50,000 Naira (42.7%), while the highest number of respondents with good knowledge (88.9%) were among those who earn above150,000 naira (5.6%). Majority of the respondents were self-employed (36.2%). Over 95% of the respondents were aware of caesarean section. The overall knowledge about caesarean section was majorly fair (57.1%) with 42.5% having good knowledge. Despite their knowledge, the attitude of the respondents was negative (54.5%). The result of the chi-square test indicates that there is a significant association between respondent’s average monthly income and their attitude towards caesarean section. Respondents had fair knowledge of caesarean section but this did not influence their attitude towards the procedure. Rather, what influenced them most were the cost of the procedure and fear of death or complications. Male involvement during pregnancy, delivery and afterwards is important to ensure male partners have the right attitude towards caesarean section and they are equipped to make decisions that will benefit the health of the woman.