[Effects of group counseling program with women on knowledge, attitude, and practice [KAP] of their husbands regarding family planning in Zahedan health centers in 2002]

ABSTRACT

Male involvement is one of the main factors in good performance of family planning programs, and interspouse communication appears to be a precondition for its success. A quasi-experimental study [before and after counseling] was conducted in Zahedan in 2002, to investigate the effect of group-counseling with women on KAP of their husbands concerning family planning. Forty four women with two or more children who had not used contraception were selected by non-probability sampling from 3 health centers. After completing a questionnaire asked from women and their husbands and determining their educational needs, women in 5 groups, 8 members, each participated 3 Counseling sessions. The program was evaluated one month after intervention [by a questionnaire and a checklist]. T-Paired Test showed that mean scores of knowledge and attitude of women and their husbands before and after intervention were significantly different [P<000.1]. After intervention, 43% of cases selected one of the contraceptive methods [P<0.00001]. Findings showed that we can improve the KAP of husbands regarding family planning by appropriate counseling of women