Examining Men's Attitudes Toward Family Planning in Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract

Background Family planning (FP) is a vital component of reproductive health and gender equality, particularly in developing countries. Despite the critical role of men in FP decision-making, their involvement remains limited due to sociocultural factors. This study aims to examine men's attitudes toward FP in Turkey and highlight the need for more inclusive FP strategies. Methods A descriptive study was conducted with 400 male participants residing in Istanbul, using the Family Planning Attitude Scale (FPAS), a validated and standardized questionnaire. Stratified sampling was employed to ensure diverse representation of educational backgrounds and sociodemographic factors. The statistical analyses employed descriptive statistics, an independent sample t-test, a one-way ANOVA, and a Pearson correlation analysis. Results The mean total score of the Family Planning Attitude Scale was found to be 74.5 +/- 30.4, with the mean of the sub-dimensions "attitude towards society" being 31.8 +/- 14.3, "attitude towards methods" being 24.8 +/- 11.2, and "attitude towards pregnancy" being 17.9 +/- 8.0. The total scale score and sub-dimension scores of the participants were found to be at a relatively low level. Significant differences were observed in participants' attitudes towards family planning according to educational level, spouses' educational status, age at early marriage, and having children (p < 0.05). The results indicated that individuals who did not utilize contraceptive methods exhibited more negative attitudes than those who did (M = 84.0 vs. M = 71.1). The criteria that men considered when selecting a family planning method were found to significantly influence their attitudes toward pregnancy (F = 7.02; p = 0.001). Conclusions The findings underscore the necessity of increasing men's FP knowledge and access to contraceptive methods. Targeted interventions should focus on improving men's understanding of FP methods to foster shared decision-making between spouses. Trial registration Clinical trial number: not applicable. The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in the National Thesis Center at tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp.