title: Men's perceptions of delivery care in rural Malawi: exploring community level barriers to improving maternal health.
abstract: In this cross-sectional survey with qualitative components (n = 389), we explored how husbands perceive delivery care in rural Malawi. Most husbands decide on maternal health care seeking, believe in antenatal care, and prefer institutional delivery. Men acknowledge that their unfaithfulness and violence can harm the pregnancy. Most husbands feel responsible for birth preparedness, but poor availability and unforeseeable transport costs hinder care seeking in pregnancy complications. Our findings suggest that innovative birth preparedness and transport interventions that involve men, as well as the extension of antenatal care (ANC) services to men, can help overcome obstacles to improving maternal health at the community level.
authors: Department for International Health, Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. pauliina.aarnio@gmail.com
authors: Pauliina
authors: P
authors: Aarnio
authors: Effie
authors: E
authors: Chipeta
authors: Teija
authors: T
authors: Kulmala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi; D008297:Male; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012424:Rural Population; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult