Publications

Socioeconomic, cultural, and gender dynamics continue to impede women's autonomy inhealthcare decision-making. Men often wield control over financial resources, timeallocation, and access to medical services, creating disparities in women's health choices.This study investigated male engagement in antenatal care among residents of Hoima EastDivision, Hoima City in Western Uganda. Employing a cross-sectional survey design andquantitative methods, data was meticulously coded, cleaned, and analyzed using MicrosoftExcel Version 13 and STATA 14.0. The study encompassed 534 participants, with apredominant age range of 21-30 years (59.4%) and a majority being married (82.2%). Mostparticipants had completed secondary education (53.8%), identified as Catholic (41.1%), andhad 3-4 children (50.1%). Results indicated that 263 individuals (69.8%) exhibited low levelsof male involvement in antenatal care, while 114 (30.2%) demonstrated high levels ofengagement. Notably, 54.6% displayed inadequate knowledge, contrasting with the 45.4%who exhibited a strong grasp of antenatal care. The analysis revealed significant associationsbetween male involvement and various factors including age, marital status, educationalattainment, employment status, decision-making capacity, monthly income, perception ofhealthcare providers' attitudes, privacy provisions at antenatal clinics, and waiting times.Despite these findings, the level of male involvement and understanding of antenatal careremained suboptimal. In summary, this research highlights the multifaceted interplay offactors 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 canpotentially enhance male participation and knowledge regarding antenatal care, ultimatelyempowering women in making informed health decisions.Keywords: Antenatal care and associated factors, Attitude of health care providers, Healthfacilities, Maternity care, Male partners