Only 10% of men in Kampala accompanied their partners to clinics for contraceptive services, even though 96% of women surveyed reported that their partners had discussed contraception with healthcare providers, according to a mixed-methods cross-sectional study conducted in Uganda’s capital. The research, published in Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, examined how extensively men participate in decisions about long-acting reversible contraceptives, or LARCs, and what keeps them at the margins of those choices.
Joint decision-making on LARCs occurred in 39% of the couples surveyed, meaning that in most households the choice of a long-acting method was not made together. Financial support emerged as the dominant form of male contribution to family planning, reported by 60% of respondents, suggesting that men’s participation was largely channeled into paying for services rather than engaging with the decision itself.
The researchers identified several determinants of male involvement, including marital status, education level, and the number of children in the family. Cultural norms and religious beliefs stood out as significant barriers. The qualitative interviews pointed to entrenched gender norms, misconceptions about how contraceptives work, and a widespread perception that reproductive health services are intended primarily for women.
The counseling environment itself appeared to reinforce this pattern. Only 44% of participants indicated that men’s concerns were adequately addressed during consultations, and respondents reported limited availability of couple-focused counseling. Respondents reported limited availability of couple-focused counseling, and only 44% of participants indicated that men's concerns were adequately addressed during consultations.
The study focused on long-acting reversible contraceptives, a category of contraceptive methods whose uptake and decision-making the authors describe as influenced by male involvement. The Kampala findings suggest that in this setting male participation often took the form of discussion, with only 10% of men accompanying their partners to clinics and joint decision-making on LARCs occurring in 39% of couples.
The authors conclude that male involvement in LARC decision-making in Kampala remains low, attributing this to socio-cultural barriers and a shortage of male-friendly services. They propose strengthening male engagement through inclusive counseling delivered by trained health workers, involvement of community and religious leaders, and the promotion of male-friendly and couple-centered reproductive health services.
As a cross-sectional study conducted at one health facility and one division of Kampala, the research captures a snapshot of attitudes and behaviors at a single point in time and cannot establish causal relationships between the measured determinants and levels of male involvement. The article is being shared early as a peer-reviewed accepted manuscript that is citable and carries a permanent DOI, and this version is subject to further edits and will be replaced by the final Version of Record. Within those limits, the study reports that male involvement in LARC decision-making in Kampala remains low, with financial support the main form of male contribution, cultural norms and religious beliefs as significant barriers, and qualitative accounts of entrenched gender norms, misconceptions about contraceptives, and limited couple-focused counseling.
Subject of Research: Male involvement and barriers in long-acting reversible contraceptive decision-making among couples in Kampala, Uganda
Article Title: Exploring male involvement and support in long-acting reversible contraceptive decision-making: a mixed-methods cross-sectional study in Kampala, Uganda
Article References: Nyasulu, B., Ngomi, N., & Kibonire, R. A. (2026). Exploring male involvement and support in long-acting reversible contraceptive decision-making: a mixed-methods cross-sectional study in Kampala, Uganda. Contraception and Reproductive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-026-00468-6
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s40834-026-00468-6
Keywords: male involvement, contraception, LARCs, Uganda, Kampala, family planning, cross-sectional study, gender norms, reproductive health, couple counseling, Exploring, male
News Source: Ophelia Keating. (October 30, 2026). Male partners rarely join clinic visits in Kampala LARC decisions, study finds. Scienmag.
