title: Religious leaders gain ground in the Jordanian family-planning movement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of a training program designed to enhance the role of Muslim religious leaders (RLs) in promoting family welfare, including reproductive health generally and family planning more specifically.
  
  
  METHODS
  A panel study design was utilized; 136 and 115 RLs completed the self-administered questionnaires at baseline (pre-training) and endline (6 months post-training), respectively. Scales were generated to assess RLs' knowledge of the number of family-planning methods deemed to be acceptable according to Islamic teachings (9 methods, Cronbach α=0.85), attitudes toward family planning (7 statements, Cronbach α=0.67), and preaching and/or counseling on family-planning topics (7 topics, Cronbach α=0.85).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Linear regressions controlling for sex, age, and educational attainment showed that, on average, RLs cited more methods deemed acceptable according to Islamic teachings (β=1.381; P<0.001), expressed more positive attitudes toward family planning (β=0.514; P<0.05), and preached and/or counseled on family-planning topics more frequently at endline compared with baseline (β=0.965; P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Culturally appropriate training for RLs can lead to a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, reproductive health and family planning, with the effects manifesting as increased preaching and/or counseling about these important topics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. Electronic address: cunderwo@jhsph.edu.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Underwood
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamhawi
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nofal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003469:Culture; D005192:Family Health; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D007597:Jordan; D007857:Leadership; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012067:Religion; D060728:Reproductive Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Family planning; Islam; Religious leaders; Reproductive health