Browsing by Author "Mathur, Sanyukta"

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    Contraceptive knowledge, perceptions, and concerns among men in Uganda
    (BMC Public Health, 2017) Thummalachetty, Nityanjali; Mathur, Sanyukta; Mullinax, Margo; DeCosta, Kelsea; Nakyanjo, Neema; Lutalo, Tom; Brahmbhatt, Heena; Santelli, John S.
    Low contraceptive uptake and high unmet need for contraception remain significant issues in Uganda compared to neighboring countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. Although prior research on contraceptive uptake has indicated that male partners strongly influence women’s decisions around contraceptive use, there is limited in-depth qualitative research on knowledge and concerns regarding modern contraceptive methods among Ugandan men. Methods: Using in-depth interviews (N = 41), this qualitative study investigated major sources of knowledge about contraception and perceptions of contraceptive side effects among married Ugandan men. RESULTS: Men primarily reported knowledge of contraceptives based on partner’s experience of side effects, partner’s knowledge from health providers and mass media campaigns, and partner’s knowledge from her peers. Men were less likely to report contraceptive knowledge from health care providers, mass media campaigns, or peers. Men’s concerns about various contraceptive methods were broadly associated with failure of the method to work properly, adverse health effects on women, and severe adverse health effects on children. Own or partner’s human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status did not impact on contraceptive knowledge. Conclusions: Overall, we found limited accurate knowledge about contraceptive methods among men in Uganda. Moreover, fears about the side effects of modern contraceptive methods appeared to be common among men. Family planning services in Uganda could be significantly strengthened by renewed efforts to focus on men’s knowledge, fears, and misconceptions.
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    Differential Impacts of HIV status on shortterm fertility desires among couples in Rakai, Uganda
    (PLoS ONE, 2019) Song, Xiaoyu; Grilo, Stephanie A.; Mathur, Sanyukta; Lutalo, Tom; Ssekubugu, Robert; Nalugoda, Fred; Santelli, John S.
    Fertility desires of female and male partners in current relationships are often correlated. We examined the influence of HIV seropositive status of female and male partners on shortterm fertility desires in Rakai, Uganda, a setting with high fertility and HIV infection rates. Methods Participants were couples (15–49 years old) enrolled in the Rakai Community Cohort Study, from 2011 to 2013 (n = 2,291). Cohen’s kappa coefficient was used to measure the correlation of female and male partners’ short-term fertility desires (measured as ‘wanting a child in the next 12 months’), in both total sample and stratified serostatus groups. HIV serostatus and additional characteristics of female and male partners were included in Poisson regression models to estimate the rate ratios (RR) for each partner’s short-term fertility desires. Individual and partner characteristics included HIV status, partner HIV status, age in years, partner age in years, educational attainment, number of living children, community of residence, and socioeconomic status (SES). Results Short-term fertility desires among female and male partners were moderately associated (Kappa = 0.37, p-value<0.001). The association was weakest among female sero-positive and male sero-negative couples (Kappa = 0.29, p-value<0.001). When adjusting for parity and other covariates in the model, women’s short-term fertility desires were significantly associated with their positive sero-status regardless of male partners’ sero-status (adjRR = 1.58, p<0.001 for F+M-; adjRR = 1.33, p = 0.001 for F+M+; in comparison with F-M-). Men’s short-term fertility desires were significantly associated with their positive sero-status, in addition to their female partners’ positive sero-status (adjRR = 1.23 with p-value = 0.022 for F-M+; adjRR = 1.42 with p-value<0.001 for F+M-; adjRR = 1.26 with p-value<0.001 for F+M +; in comparison with F-M-). When the differential effect of parity was included in the model, similar associations remained for both female and male partners when the number of living children was small, but largely reduced when the number of living children was large (3 or more). Conclusion Female and male partners in couple dyads demonstrated moderate agreements about short-term fertility desires. The HIV seropositive status of female partners was most strongly associated with short-term fertility desires of both genders, and this association was even stronger for women who had few or no living children.
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    Unfulfilled need for contraception among women with unmet need but with the intention to use contraception in Rakai, Uganda: a longitudinal study
    (BMC women's health, 2018) Lutalo, Tom; Gray, Ron; Santelli, John; Guwatudde, David; Brahmbhatt, Heena; Mathur, Sanyukta; Serwadda, David; Nalugoda, Fred; Makumbi, Fredrick
    Longitudinal data from a rural Ugandan cohort was used to estimate rates of unfulfilled need for contraception, defined as having unmet need and intent to use contraception at baseline but having an unintended pregnancy or with persistent unmet need for contraception at follow up. Methods: Between 2002 and 2009 (5 survey rounds), a total of 2610 sexually active non-pregnant women with unmet need for contraception at the start of an inter-survey period were asked whether they intended to use any method of contraception until they desired a child. Modified Poisson multivariate regression was used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% CI of unfulfilled need for contraception. Results: The proportion of women with unmet need at the start of an interval who intended to use contraception significantly increased from 61 to 69.1% (p < 0.05). However the majority of women who said they intended to use contraception had unfulfilled need for contraception at the subsequent survey (64.8 to 56.8%). In the adjusted analysis, significant predictors of unfulfilled need for contraception included age 40–49 years (PR = 1.34; 95% CI 1. 04–1.74) and those with unknown HIV status (PR = 1.16; 95% CI 1.06–1.26). Conclusions: There is a significant discrepancy between women’s intent to use contraception (> 60%) and subsequent initiation of use (< 30%) with many having unintended pregnancies which might explain the persistent high fertility in Uganda. Future research needs to address unfulfilled need for contraception among women at risk of unintended pregnancies.