Marginalisation of men in family planning texts: An analysis of training manuals. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wilson, Amanda D; Fylan, Fiona; Gough, Brendan
• Is Part Of: Health education journal. Volume 77:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 387
• Page End: 397
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Discourse analysis -- family planning -- gender and health -- health practitioners -- men -- representations; Health education -- Periodicals; 613.071
• DOI: 10.1177/0017896917751832
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-8969

Abstract

Objective: Men's engagement in family planning has become part of the global health agenda; however, little is known about the training manuals health practitioners' use and how these manuals describe and explain men's roles within a family planning context. Design: To further understand engagement, this paper examines how training manuals written for health practitioners describe and define men's participation within family planning. Setting: The training manuals were written for UK health practitioners and covered men's contributions to family planning. Method: Discourse analysis was used to examine the three training manuals focused upon. Results: Three main discourses were identified: 'contraception is a woman's responsibility', 'men disengage with health practitioners' and 'men are biologically predisposed to avoid sexual responsibility'. Conclusion: Together, these three discourses function to marginalise men in family planning, constructing them as detached accessories that lack the ability to engage.