Family planning information sources and media exposure among Zimbabwean men.

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7810364 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0039-3665 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00393665 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Stud Fam Plann Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: Malden, MA : John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Original Publication: New York, Population Council.

Attitude to Health* ; Family Planning Services*; Information Services/*statistics & numerical data ; Mass Media/*statistics & numerical data ; Men/*psychology; Adult ; Educational Status ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Residence Characteristics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Zimbabwe

This report describes, for a sample of Zimbabwean men, sources of family planning information, media exposure, media preferences, and whether they would like to learn more about family planning methods. The data are from the 1988 Zimbabwe Male Fertility Survey, a representative sample of 711 currently married men aged 20 and over. The analysis is restricted to the 512 men whose wives were aged 49 and under at the time of the survey. The radio and personal communications, followed by posters and newspapers, are the most frequently reported sources of family planning information. The radio is considered to be the best medium for learning about family planning, followed by community-based distributors. Nearly 85 percent of respondents indicated that they would like to learn more about family planning. Information from men should be included in information, education, and communication programs in order to enhance male involvement in the family planning process.

Indexing Agency: IND Local ID #: 8019701. Indexing Agency: PIP Local ID #: 069240. Indexing Agency: POP Local ID #: 00206735.
Keywords: Africa; Africa South Of The Sahara; Communication; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; Eastern Africa; English Speaking Africa; Family Planning*; Information Distribution*; Knowledge*; Knowledge Sources*; Mass Media*; Population; Population Characteristics; Research Methodology; Rural Population*; Sampling Studies; Studies; Surveys*; Urban Population*; Zimbabwe
Note: TJ: STUDIES IN FAMILY PLANNING.
Local Abstract: [PIP] Sources of family planning information, media exposure, and interest in learning more about contraceptive methods were among the areas of investigated in a sample of 512 currently married men 20 years of age and older drawn from the 1988 Zimbabwe Male Fertility Survey. The mean age of respondents was 33.8 years, while their wives averaged 27.7 years. 99% of respondents had heard about family planning; radio, personal communications, posters and newspapers were the most frequently cited (83%, 74%, 67%, and 66% respectively) information sources. 85% (88% of rural and 78% of urban men) indicated they would like to learn more about available family planning methods. Information collected on media exposure in this sample offers guidelines for planning future IEC campaigns aimed at making such knowledge more widely available. 86% of urban and 51% of rural respondents reported an ability to read English with no difficulties. However, the relative lack of access to newspapers in rural areas ( only 30% of rural residents see a newspaper once a week compared to 994% of urban respondents) is a barrier to expanded use of this medium in IEC campaigns. Television, viewed weekly by only 58% of urban men and 9% of rural respondents, also appears to be of limited potential to expand family planning knowledge. Radio access, on the other hand, was widespread, reported by 93% of urban and 81% of rural respondents. These findings suggest an IEC strategy that is based on radio and use of print materials other than newspapers. Also feasible is expansion of the community-based contraceptive distribution program, which currently reaches 30% of rural residents but has tendered to emphasize reaching women rather than men with information on family planning.

Date Created: 19910901 Date Completed: 19920206 Latest Revision: 20181130

20231215

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