Males Involvement Towards the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Services Among Pregnant Women
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the study
The primary objective of this study is to examine males involvement towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women. Other objectives of this study are:
- To determine the extent of males involvement in towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women.
- To find out if male involvement affects the rate of prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women.
- To examine if cultural beliefs affects males involvement towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women.
- To examine if health system affects males involvement towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literatures that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework and
- Theoretical Framework and
- Empirical Review
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concept of HIV/ AIDS
AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (National AIDS control programme, 1990; Miller, Briggs & Corcoran, 1997; Wayne, 1993). It is an acquired condition, which means that it is not hereditary. It makes the immune system unable to defend the body against infections and diseases. AIDS is also a syndrome, which is a term for a group of symptoms. Federal Ministry of Health (2003) defined a syndrome as a set of symptoms that together are indicative of a condition, for example AIDS. Cohen et al (1994) defined AIDS as the late stage of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Onuzulike (1998) defined HIV as the virus that destroys parts of the white blood cells, which are the bodies disease fighting immune system. Olumide (2002) defined AIDS as a disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus. He further conceptualized AIDS as the end stage manifestation of a long-standing, on going infection with human immunodeficiency virus. Adeoye (2004) stated that AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection, while Onwuekwe (2005) stated that AIDS is a full blown disease of the human immunodeficiency virus. Cohen et al (1994) reported that AIDS is a term conceptualized by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in 1982, to create a case definition of the syndrome characterized by acquired immunodeficiency and its complications. He also reported that in 1987 the CDC further defined AIDS as the endpoint in clinical research on progression of HIV disease and also as criteria for case reporting that helps quantify the growth of the epidemic of HIV infection. Ugwuegbulam (2004) opined that AIDS is the stage of HIV infection, when one is highly susceptible to infections, which the natural immune system would ordinarily combat and defeat. AIDS depresses the immune system that usually protects the body against invasion of pathogens like bacteria and fungi. Cohen et al (1994) stated that AIDS begins with transmission of HIV, establishment of infection and an initial host immune system response that temporarily controls clinical manifestations of disease. It is a chronic progressive process that begins, when the human immunodeficiency virus enters the blood stream of the afflicted person and progresses over a period of more than ten years as the virus replicates in lymphoid tissue, relatively destroying the host immune system and progression is often accelerated in infants with perinatal HIV infection. During this time, the host becomes increasingly susceptible to opportunistic infections, which are infections the body will ordinarily combat and defeat and eventually dies from complications of these opportunistic infections and malignancies resulting from immune system dysfunction (Cohen et al., 1994). Olumide (2002) stated that the time between infection with the HIV and on set of the disease AIDS is variable and ranges from six months to ten years or more. Onuzulike (1998) stated that HIV and AIDS infection may take as many as ten years or more before an infected person actually begins to have symptoms of the disease. According to her, by this time, the infected person who appears to be healthy may have passed on the disease to others.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried out to examine males involvement towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women. Selected men from Ikeja Local Government Area were used as participants for this survey.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of thirty six (36) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only thirty (30) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 30 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
In this study, our focus was to investigate males involvement towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women, using selected men from Ikeja, Lagos State as a case study. The study specifically was aimed at determining the extent of males involvement in towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women., find out if male involvement affects the rate of prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women and, to examine if cultural beliefs affects males involvement towards the prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women. This study was anchored on the Demographic Transition Theory.
The study adopted the survey research design and conveniently enrolled participants in the study. A total of 30 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are drawn from selected men from Ikeja Local Government Area.
CONCLUSION
Based on the finding of this study, the following conclusions were made:
- The role of men towards the prevention of mother to child transmission is paramount.
- Men need to be aware of their roles in the prevention of mother to child transmissionis paramount.
- That male involvement affects the rate of prevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In the light of the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are hereby proposed:
- That men’s role in a in the prevention of transmission is paramount and so men should enable to be a part and play their roles.
- That for children’s and mother’s welfare, men need to be actively involved in their roles towards theprevention of mother to child transmission services among pregnant women.
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