Geography of the Influence of Contraception on Wealth Status of Ever Married Men in Nigeria

Abstract

The economic condition of men has been precarious in Nigeria where about 70 percent live under the $2 per day poverty line. Little is known about the role of contraception in the economic status of men. This study used the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey Nigeria. Results showed that national awareness of any contraceptives was 99%, ranging between 94% in northeast and 98% in south-south. Use of any methods was highest in south-west (36%; modern methods = 24%) and lowest in north-west (7%; modern method = 2%). The condom was the most popular method used in all regions. When contraception was introduced into hierarchical regression model predicting men’s wealth status, the explanatory power improved in all regions. After adjusting for selected socioeconomic factors, modern contraception and wealth status were positively associated in north-central (β=0.05, p<0.01), north-east (β=0.04, p<0.05), north-west (β=0.03, p<0.05) and south-west (β=0.05, p<0.05). Traditional methods significantly and negatively predicted wealth status in north-central (β=-0.06, p<0.01) but positively in north-east (β=0.04, p<0.05) and north-west (β=0.06, p<0.001).
Therefore, modern and traditional contraception were significant factors in any efforts targeting the elevation of male’s wealth status in almost all regions in Nigeria.