Factors influencing fertility desires among married men in rural areas of Tanzania: Evidence from the Tanzania Demographic Health Survey report (TDHS)-2022

Robert Ndobori Pauline; Hermas Asheri Dobogo; Praise Mdendemi

doi:10.51867/ajernet.7.1.69

Authors

Robert Ndobori Pauline
rpauline@irdp.ac.tz
Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP), Tanzania https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8956-5240
Hermas Asheri Dobogo Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP), Tanzania
Praise Mdendemi Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP), Tanzania

Keywords:

Family Size, Fertility Desire, Married Men, Rural Areas, Tanzania

Abstract

In Tanzania, high fertility rates continue to be a major significant obstacle to family welfare, public health, and socioeconomic growth, especially in rural areas, where currently married men still strongly desire large families. Understanding the determinants is essential for designing strategies to address the situation; research on specific drivers in rural areas is limited. This study aimed to assess the factors influencing fertility desires among married men in rural areas of Tanzania. Specifically, the study examines the prevalence of fertility desires among married men and explores the drivers of higher fertility rates in rural Tanzania. The study was guided by Becker’s economic theory of fertility. The study employed a cross-sectional research design using the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) report data. A total of 3961 cases were analyzed to answer the study's questions. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used. The findings indicated that the fertility rate among married men in rural Tanzania is higher than among their urban counterparts. Such a high rate implies, among other effects, distorted family economic welfare, limited parental care leading to moral decay, increased maternal and child health problems, and greater pressure and depletion of resources. Men's desire for children is influenced by several factors, including age, education, knowledge of contraception, ideal number of children, number of living children, marital status, frequency of newspaper reading, and wealth index. Given the observed scenario, the study recommends that the government and non-governmental sectors establish comprehensive efforts to promote family planning and reproductive health for better utilization of available resources, encourage couple-based counseling at health facilities, and promote male contraceptive methods such as condoms and vasectomy.

Dimensions

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