Exploring Factors Influencing Paternal Engagement in Prenatal Health Services within Hoima East Division, Hoima City: A Comprehensive Assessment

Abstract

Socioeconomic, cultural, and gender dynamics continue to impede women's autonomy in healthcare decision-making. Men often wield control over financial resources, time allocation, and access to medical services, creating disparities in women's health choices. This study investigated male engagement in antenatal care among residents of Hoima East Division, Hoima City in Western Uganda. Employing a cross-sectional survey design and quantitative methods, data was meticulously coded, cleaned, and analyzed using Microsoft Excel Version 13 and STATA 14.0. The study encompassed 534 participants, with a predominant age range of 21-30 years (59.4%) and a majority being married (82.2%). Most participants had completed secondary education (53.8%), identified as Catholic (41.1%), and had 3-4 children (50.1%). Results indicated that 263 individuals (69.8%) exhibited low levels of male involvement in antenatal care, while 114 (30.2%) demonstrated high levels of engagement. Notably, 54.6% displayed inadequate knowledge, contrasting with the 45.4% who exhibited a strong grasp of antenatal care. The analysis revealed significant associations between male involvement and various factors including age, marital status, educational attainment, employment status, decision-making capacity, monthly income, perception of healthcare providers' attitudes, privacy provisions at antenatal clinics, and waiting times. Despite these findings, the level of male involvement and understanding of antenatal care remained suboptimal. In summary, this research highlights the multifaceted interplay of factors influencing male involvement in antenatal care. Factors such as age, marital status, education, employment, decision-making capacity, income, healthcare provider attitudes, and clinic conditions emerged as pivotal determinants. Addressing these variables can potentially enhance male participation and knowledge regarding antenatal care, ultimately empowering women in making informed health decisions. Keywords: Antenatal care and associated factors, Attitude of health care providers, Health facilities, Maternity care, Male partners.