ABSTRACT
Introduction: Male involvement in maternal and newborn health is a valuable practice in which fathers and male community members play an active role in supporting women and their families to access enhanced health services. In the context of maternal and newborn health, male involvement encompasses men's proactive engagement in the well-being of their partners and children. Research indicates that when men actively participate, there are positive effects on health outcomes of both mother and child. Male involvement in maternal health services was associated with utilization of skilled birth attendants (SBAs) during delivery which improves maternal health outcome. Regrettably, the prevalence of such behaviours, such as accompanying pregnant spouses to antenatal care visits, remains notably low, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Consequently, global health organizations, national governments, and non-governmental organizations are advocating for increased male involvement in these crucial areas of healthcare. Objective: To assess male involvement in maternal and newborn health in Egor Local Government Area, Benin City, Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 621 male respondents using multistage sampling technique for selection. A structured self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Data was screened for completeness, entered and analyzed with IBM SPSS version 26.0 software. Perception was scored in percentages and graded as positive and negative. The relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and Perception was analyzed using Fisher’s and Chi square test. Logistic regression was carried out to further determine the significant predictors of Perception of male involvement. The level of Male involvement in maternal and newborn health was assessed using a 5 point Likert scale questionnaire. The relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and level of male involvement was analyzed using Fisher’s and Chi square test. Logistic regression was carried out to further determine the significant predictors of the level of male involvement among respondents. Male participation in newborn care giving activities was assessed using some set of close ended questions. The relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and male participation was analyzed using Fisher’s and Chi square test. Logistic regression was carried out to further determine the significant predictors of male participation. The level of significant was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 621 respondents participated in the study. Almost all the respondents 592 (95.0%) had positive perception towards male involvement in maternal and newborn health. Religion, family structure, household size, family type, level of education, and skill level were found to be a significantly associated factors for perception among respondents. Majority of the respondents 536 (86.0%) were involved and religion, household size, family type and socioeconomic status were significantly associated factors for level of male involvement in maternal and newborn health. Over two-third of respondents 447 (72%) had good male participation in newborn care giving activities with family structure, household size, family type, level of education, and monthly income as statistically significant factors associated with participation, p-values all less than 0.05. Conclusion: The majority of men have a positive perception of their role in maternal and newborn health, indicating a willingness to participate. Most men actively engage in maternal healthcare activities, such as attending antenatal care visits and supporting their partners with household responsibilities. A significant portion of men are involved in newborn care activities, reflecting a shared sense of responsibility in child-rearing. Several factors were associated with male involvement, including educational attainment, cultural beliefs, and household size.
