INTER-SPOUSAL COMMUNICATION AND MEN’S ENGAGEMENT IN WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: A STUDY IN RURAL UTTAR PRADESH

This paper aims at analyzing communication pattern regarding decision-making process and men’s engagement in women’s reproductive health. The paper utilizes mixed method approach: quantitative data from NFHS-3 (2005-06) and qualitative data from women and men (20 each) collected from two villages of the Gautam Buddha Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh in 2011. Multinomial and logistic regression techniques are applied to analyze quantitative data in order to assess level of agreement between spouses regarding their reproductive behavior; however, the pattern of effective communication is understood by analyzing interviews. Findings from quantitative analysis suggest that urban couples have more agreement and less desire to have additional child. While qualitative analysis reveals that lack of inter-spousal communication is a consequence of individual and collective factors. Older rural couples are hesitant to discuss issues regarding reproductive behavior. Moreover, the young rural couples who are influenced by urbanization have greater agreement for contraceptive use and are less hesitant to discuss their desires on the family size. Hence communication pattern is influenced by urbanization and changes in individual’s perceptions that have a bearing on cultural norms and acceptable behavior of men and women in a society.