Men matter: Additive and interactive gendered preferences and reproductive behavior in kenya

Abstract

The extent of men's roles in reproductive decision-making in Africa is a subject of contention. Despite the volume of work on the roles men play in fertility decisions, there have been few attempts to derive direct empirical estimates of the effect of men's preferences on reproductive behavior. I employ 1989 and 1993 Kenya Demographic and Health Surveys to examine the relative roles of the reproductive preferences of males and females on contraceptive use. Additive and interactive measures of preferences document a significant effect of men's preferences, which may eclipse women's preferences. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Male fertility in Greece

“…Studies principally focus on males' attitudes towards family planning methods and/or ideal family size. Achieved fertility has been proved to be closer to husband's fertility intentions; this seems to be the case not only in the less developed societies (Mott and Mott 1985;Dodoo 1998;Becker 1999) but also in some industrialized countries, as has been documented by earlier surveys (Marciano 1979).…”

“…Attention was initially drawn to polygynous societies, where distinct reproductive experiences and preferences between men and women are common and socially accepted (Ratcliffe et al 2000). Due to his predominant role in family, man determinedly controls reproductive decision-making in less developed areas (Dodoo 1998). Studies principally focus on males' attitudes towards family planning methods and/or ideal family size.…”

Urban–rural differences in the socioeconomic deprivation–Sexual behavior link in Kenya

“…Not surprisingly, much effort has been expended to understand the predictors of condom use (Cleland, & Ferry, 1995;Dodoo, & Ampofo, 2001). However, given women's limited influence on men's condom use (Caldwell, Caldwell, & Quiggin, 1989;Dodoo, 1993;1998;Ezeh, 1993) and men's typical preference for non-use, it is pertinent to study other behavioral outcomes, and particularly those that women may have greater control over.…”

La démographie africaine au prisme du genre

“…Outre la recherche sur la sexualité, les études sur la fécondité s'attachent elles aussi à prendre en compte la dimension relationnelle au sein du couple et soulignent le rôle prépondérant des hommes dans les déci-sions relatives au recours à la contraception et même à l'avortement dans le couple (Bankole, 1995 ;Calvès, 2002 ;DeRose et Ezeh, 2005 ;Dodoo, 1998 ;Ezeh, 1993 ;Omondi-Odhiambo, 1997). D'autres mettent en évidence les particularités de la reproduction masculine, de son évolution et de ses déterminants ou s'intéressent aux enjeux liés à la paternité des jeunes céli-bataires et explorent les déterminants de la reconnaissance et du soutien des enfants par leur père (Calvès, 2000 ;Kaufman, Wet et Stadler, 2001).…”