Male participation in family planning in North West Iran, A Qualitative case study in Zanjan

This study aims to explore male participation in family planning and associated factors in Zanjan city in north west Iran. Itis qualitatives study suing 33 in-depth interviews with married men resided in rural and urban areas. The approach was deductive content analysis. Purposive sampling with maximum variability was employed. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews during July-Aug. 2011. The content analysis was used in two methods of conceptual framework and conceptual mapping. Main themes emerged included: 1. the nature of male participation, 2. the facilitators of male participation, and 3. Barriers of male participation. Results indicates that men’s attitude towards reproductive health and family planning in Zanjan city is satisfactory, however there are some obstacles which prevent men to participate in family planning such as inappropriate operating time of family planning clinics, lack of male health care provider , some gender beliefs and complications and inconvenience of using male methods and lack of knowledge.