GENDER ROLE IDEOLOGY AND FAMILY PLANNING DECISION AMONG FACULTY STAFF AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Introduction:

Family planning as a means to control the number of children provides opportunity for women to gain the health benefits as well as social equity. The influence of gender role ideology on family planning decision with regards to who decides is not much studied. This study looks at the association of gender role ideology, and other factors on family planning decision among men and women in an academic institution.

Methodology:

This is a cross sectional study with systematic random sampling of staff in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in Universiti Putra Malaysia. The independent variables were sociodemographic factors, knowledge score on family planning methods, and gender role ideology. The outcome variable was perception on who should decide on family planning decision.

Results:

62% of the respondents practiced family planning after the last childbirth. 93.5% of the respondents perceived that both husband and wife should decide on family planning. Respondents with higher mean score of knowledge perceived that either men or women should decide on family planning. Those with more equitable gender role ideology preferred either husband or wife decides on family planning. All associations were however not significant except for knowledge score with a p value of 0.008.

Conclusion:

As the society changes to more equitable gender role ideology, the choice of who should make decision reflects the autonomy desired by men and women in family planning decision.

Key Words: gender role ideology, family planning, decision making