The Influence of Spouses over each Other's Contraceptive Attitudes in Ghana

To what extent do spouses influence each other's reproductive goals? This question was investigated in Ghana with particular reference to family planning attitudes. Two mechanisms were identified as plausible explanations for why an individual's characteristics may affect a partner's beliefs and behavior. Quantitative evidence from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and qualitative information from focus-group research in Ghana were used in the analysis. Results from both data sources show that spousal influence, rather than being mutual or reciprocal, is an exclusive right exercised only by the husband. The study attributed the limited impact of family planning programs in Ghana and most of sub-Saharan Africa to the continued neglect of men as equal targets of such programs.