GENDER ATTITUDES AND MALE INVOLVEMENT IN MATERNAL NUTRITION AND HEALTH CARE AMONG RURAL DWELLERS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Recently, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of male involvementin improving maternal nutrition and healthcare. However, studies have shown that cultural gender rolesalways limit the involvement of men in areas that are socially defined as feminine. Hence, this studyinvestigated the importance of male involvement, their level of involvement and gender factors thatlimit male involvement in maternal nutrition and healthcare in rural Imo State. The gender schematheory propounded by Sandra Bem was the study’s theoretical framework. A mixed research design andmultistage sampling method were used for this study. For the quantitative data, 591 questionnaires wereadministered and analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics, whereas 18 in-depth interviews wereconducted for the qualitative data and analysed via the content analysis method. It was found that menare involved in maternal nutrition and healthcare in Imo State. However, the level of involvement islow, and the reasons are not farfetched, as cultural gender roles have been identified as major factorsthat undermine male involvement in maternal nutrition and healthcare. To improve male involvementin maternal nutrition and healthcare, cultural gender roles that negatively affect male involvement inmaternal nutrition and healthcare need to be addressed. Therefore, men should be sensitized to the needto jettison those cultural gender role prescriptions and see their involvement as significantly importantin improving maternal nutrition and healthcare in Imo State.