Intervention of IEC to Improve Male Involvement in Reproductive Health: Lessons Learned from Tribal Population of Central India

Kalyan B. Saha, Regional Medical Research Centre for Tribals (ICMR), India
Neeru Singh, Regional Medical Research Centre for Tribals (ICMR), India
Uma C. Saha, Xavier Institute of Development, Action and Studies (XIDAS)
Arvind Pandey, National Institute of Research in Medical Statistics (ICMR), India

Men in tribal community are recognized to be responsible for the large proportion of reproductive ill health suffered by their female partners. Reproductive health is considered synonymous with women’s health and male involvement concept is still new in India. The study includes IEC intervention, adopting before and after with control design among currently married Baiga tribal men of Madhya Pradesh. KAP baseline survey and post intervention resurvey are undertaken to estimate the net intervention effect. The intervention bring about a significant improvement in the awareness to different reproductive health parameters such as RTI/STI/HIV/AIDS, modern family planning methods, ANC services and utilization of services. Further a favorable attitude towards small family size norm is also attained. More than three-fourth of the respondents express a felt need for reproductive health services. The study suggests replication of the designed IEC strategy in other indigenous community residing in remote areas of Central India.