Are traditional honour ideologies associated with fertility goals and contraceptive use? Findings from a cross-sectional study with a national sample of women and men in Uganda.

Abstract

We used data from a nationally representative sample of men and women of childbearing age in Uganda to assess the association between traditional honour ideologies and fertility goals and contraception use. We used multivariable regression analysis to assess the associations between honour ideologies and a) the ideal number of children, b) male control over contraceptive decision-making, and c) male/female-controlled contraceptive use. Results show that men desired more children and were less likely to use contraception compared to women. For men, honour ideologies about women are linked to both larger desired family size and lower likelihood to use male-controlled contraceptives. Additionally, men's honour ideologies for both genders were associated with a higher likelihood of male control over contraceptive decision-making. We conclude that traditional honour norms not only lead to a preference for more children but also entail male control over contraceptive decisions, undermining women's contraceptive use autonomy.