Men's perceptions and roles concerning maternal risks

• Main Author: Rodriguez, Joel M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2001
• Subjects: Perception; Social role; Risk-taking (Psychology); Medical Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/2628
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study explores men's perceptions and roles concerning maternal risks in the island-province of Siquijor. In particular, the concepts of risk in relation to pregnancy and childbirth, the different types of risks, the factors attributed to such risks, the sources of information from which the knowledge was gained, and the roles the men play were extricated from twenty-three respondents. The data were gathered through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. A purposive sampling technique was utilized in the selection of respondents. Included in this study were married men who were currently and permanently residing in the rural or urban area during the time of study, ages between 22-39 years old, with two or more children, had finished at least an elementary education but not college graduate, and of comparable socio-economic level. Results showed that regardless of place of residence, rural or urban, the men in this study had no variations in terms of perceptions and roles concerning all aspects of maternal risks. The study also showed that the men's understanding of risk and its factors were different from the medical worldview but were not in conflict with it. In fact, their conceptions on what could go wrong during pregnancy and childbirth coincided with the biomedical viewpoint about the dangers of these events to a woman's life and health. They might have different means of understanding the risks but the goals were essentially the same. The men's parents were their important sources of information in virtually all aspects of maternal risks. As regards men's roles, the men in this study generally recognized the importance of financial support, care and attention given to the wife during pregnancy and childbirth. They saw that doing the household chores themselves, instead of their wives performing such chores, was an important role they play.