FACTORS INFLUENCING FERTILITY PREFERENCES OF CURRENTLY MARRIED MEN IN KE
Published on Population Studies and Research Institute (http://psri.uonbi.ac.ke)
FACTORS INFLUENCING FERTILITY PREFERENCES OF
CURRENTLY MARRIED MEN IN KENYA
FACTORS INFLUENCING FERTILITY PREFERENCES OF CURRENTLY
MARRIED MEN IN KENYA
Fri, 03/22/2013 - 13:47 | agyandolo
Student Names: MASHARA JANET NAISOI
Student Registration Number: Q50/64223/2010
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ABSTRACT
In recent decades fertility has declined at a rapid pace in a majority of developing countries including
Kenya. Kenya’s population size has grown from 5.4 million in 1948 to 38.6 million in 2009 with the
total fertility rate ranging between 4.9 in 2003 and 4.6 in 2008/9 revealing a stall in fertility. Studies
have shown that fertility preference can be useful as an indicator of the direction that future fertility
may take. Studies have also documented a significant effect of men’s preference in regard to the
family matters which may eclipse women’s preference for the family decision-making. Understanding
the fertility preference of married men in Kenya is of paramount importance given the effect it has
on future fertility when the preferences are implemented. It is also important to family planning
programmes because it helps determine the need for contraception, whether for spacing or limiting
births, and the extent of unwanted and mistimed pregnancies. The main objective of this study was
to determine the factors that influence fertility preference of currently married men in Kenya. The
specific objectives were: to establish the effects of socio-demographic factors on fertility preference
of currently married men in Kenya; to establish the effect of socio-economic factors on fertility
preference of currently married men in Kenya; and to establish the effects of socio-cultural factors on
fertility preference of currently married men in Kenya. The data was obtained from a sample size of
1,757 married men aged 15-54 years who were asked questions on various topics including fertility
preference and more specifically their desire to have additional children during the 2008/9 Kenya
Demographic and Health Survey. Pullum (1980) conceptual framework was employed in this study.
The dependent variable was desire for additional children which was dichotomized as 1 ‘desire’ and
0 ‘Non-desire’ whereas the study variables were age, number of living children, education, place of
residence, wealth index, region, occupation, type of marriage and number of living sons. From the
descriptive analysis, the results revealed that about 57 percent of currently married men in Kenya
are likely to desire additional children. The results also showed that, age, number of living children,
education, place of residence, wealth index, region, occupation, type of marriage and number of
living sons were all significantly associated with the desire for additional children. The results of
multivariate analysis indicated that age, number of living children, education, region, occupation,
type of marriage and number of living sons were significant factors associated with the desire for
additional children at 0.001, 0.01 and 0.05 significance level. This study recommends that education
for men should be emphasized because education was discovered to have a highly significant effect
on the fertility preference. Promotion of information that creates awareness on the value of children
irrespective of sex should be focused upon so as to minimize son preference. Policies that aim at
integrating population into development should be encouraged so as to foster socioeconomic
development in all the regions and hence minimize the regional disparities as it relates to fertility
preferences. In terms of research, further studies, both qualitative and quantitative, to be carried out
in order to explore the socio-cultural and religious beliefs, norms and attitudes of men in regards to
the value of children.
Academic Year: 2011/2012
Project Year: 2012
Project Status: completed
Project Supervisor: Dr. Lawrence Ikamari; Dr. Wanjiru Gichuhi
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FACTORS INFLUENCING FERTILITY PREFERENCES OF CURRENTLY MARRIED MEN IN KE
Published on Population Studies and Research Institute (http://psri.uonbi.ac.ke)
Source URL: http://psri.uonbi.ac.ke/node/1073
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