Factors Influencing Male Involvement In Maternity Health Care Service

This study, titled “Factors Influencing Male Involvement In Maternity Health Care Service Using Obio/Akpor Local Government Area As a Case Study,” aims to assess the level of male involvement in maternity health care services in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, assess the socio-economic factors influencing male participation in maternity health care, also to assess the cultural and religious factors influencing male participation in maternity health care and to propose effective strategies to enhance male involvement in maternity health care for improved maternal and neonatal health outcomes. The research design adopted for this study is a descriptive survey. The population of the study comprises 439,445 male In  Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, and a sample size of 400 male was determined using the Taro Yamane formula for sample size determination. The sampling technique employed was simple random sampling, ensuring that each male had an equal chance of being selected. The study found that male involvement in maternity health care services was low, with 40.16% of men reporting financial constraints as a significant barrier to participation. Socio-economic factors such as work schedules (39.70%) and economic responsibilities (35.24%) were identified as key hindrances. Cultural and religious beliefs, including traditional gender roles (40.41%) and religious teachings (35.51%), also discouraged male participation. However, respondents supported strategies like health education programs (42.56%) and flexible clinic hours (40.78%) as ways to improve involvement. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the health education programs should be developed and implemented to raise awareness among men about the importance of their involvement in maternity care. Furthermore, health care facilities should adopt flexible clinic hours to accommodate the work schedules of men.