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Male involvement interventions and improved couples’ emotional relationships in Tanzania and Zimbabwe: ‘When we are walking together, I feel happy’

comrie-thomson, Liz, Mavhu, Webster ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1881-4398, Makungu, Christina, Nahar, Quamrun, Khan, Rashida, Davis, Jessica, Stillo, Erica, Hamdani, Saadya, Luchters, Stanley and Vaughan, Cathy (2020) 'Male involvement interventions and improved couples’ emotional relationships in Tanzania and Zimbabwe: ‘When we are walking together, I feel happy’'. Culture, Health & Sexuality, Vol 22, Issue 6, pp. 722-739.

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Abstract

Male involvement in maternal and child health is recognised as a valuable strategy to improve care-seeking and uptake of optimal home care practices for women and children in low- and middle-income settings. However, the specific mechanisms by which involving men can lead to observed behaviour change are not well substantiated. A qualitative study conducted to explore men’s and women’s experiences of male involvement interventions in Tanzania and Zimbabwe found that, for some women and men, the interventions had fostered more loving partner relationships. Both male and female participants identified these changes as profoundly meaningful and highly valued. Our findings illustrate key pathways by which male involvement interventions were able to improve couples’ emotional relationships. Findings also indicate that these positive impacts on couple relationships can motivate and support men’s behaviour change, to improve care-seeking and home care practices. Men’s and women’s subjective experiences of partner relationships following male involvement interventions have not been well documented to date. Findings highlight the importance of increased love, happiness and emotional intimacy in couple relationships – both as a wellbeing outcome valued by men and women, and as a contributor to the effectiveness of male involvement interventions.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 309 Women's health
WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 320 Child Welfare. Child Health Services.
WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries
WM Psychiatry > WM 100 General works
Faculty: Department: Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2019.1630564
Depositing User: Tina Bowers
Date Deposited: 27 Aug 2019 11:36
Last Modified: 20 Jul 2020 10:57
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/11510

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