Can a Gender Equity and Family Planning Intervention for Men Change Their Gender Ideology? Results from the CHARM Intervention in Rural India. Issue 1 (14th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fleming, Paul J.; Silverman, Jay; Ghule, Mohan; Ritter, Julie; Battala, Madhusudana; Velhal, Gajanan; Nair, Saritha; Dasgupta, Anindita; Donta, Balaiah; Saggurti, Niranjan; Raj, Anita
• Is Part Of: Studies in family planning. Volume 49:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 41
• Page End: 56
• Publication Date: 2018-02-14
• Subjects: Birth control -- Periodicals; 363.9605
• DOI: 10.1111/sifp.12047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0039-3665

Abstract

Abstract: We assess the effect of CHARM, a gender equity and family planning counseling intervention for husbands in rural India, on men's gender ideology. We used a two‐armed cluster randomized control trial design and collected survey data from husbands (n=1081) at baseline, 9 months, and 18 months. We used a continuous measure of support for gender equity and a dichotomous measure of equitable attitudes toward women's role in household decision‐making. To assess differences on these outcomes, we used generalized linear mixed models. After controlling for socio‐demographic factors, men who received the CHARM intervention were significantly more likely than men in the control group to have equitable attitudes toward household decision‐making at 9‐months follow‐up; there was a non‐significant difference between the groups for the measure of support for gender equity. For household decision‐making, differences were not sustained at 18‐months follow‐up. Given the role of husbands' gender ideology in women's contraceptive use, the CHARM intervention represents a promising approach for challenging root causes of women's unmet need for contraception.