Family Structure and Reproductive Health Decision Making among the Ogu of Southwestern Nigeria: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This study examines the structure of the Ogu family and its influence on reproductive health decision-making using a qualitative approach. Data were sourced through nine focus groups organized in the study area among married men and women. The data reveal that the family structure in the study area is changing, although the dominant pattern remains extended. The findings of the study suggest that there are on-going internal transformations that tend to enhance gender equity in reproductive health decision-making between husbands and wives. These changes may be attributed to the widespread influence of western culture and the spread of education in the study population, which are necessary concomitants of economic, political and cultural changes taking place in the society.Cet article examine la structure de la famille Ogu et son influence sur la prise de d\ue9cision en mati\ue8re de sant\ue9 de la reproduction. Les donn\ue9es utilis\ue9es sont des donn\ue9es qualitatives obtenues \ue0 partir de 9 "Focus Group" organis\ue9s entre hommes et femmes mari\ue9es du milieu d'\ue9tude. Les donn\ue9es montrent que la structure de la famille dans ce milieu d'\ue9tude \ue9volue bien que le type dominant reste la famille \ue9largie. Les r\ue9sultats de l'\ue9tude montrent que des transformations internes tendant \ue0 promouvoir l'\ue9galit\ue9 entre les genres en mati\ue8re de prise de d\ue9cision concernant la sant\ue9 de la reproduction entre \ue9poux et \ue9pouses sont entrain de s'op\ue9rer. Ces \ue9volutions peuvent \ueatre dues par l'influence croissante de la culture occidentale et la g\ue9n\ue9ralisation de l'\ue9ducation dans la population \ue9tudi\ue9e qui accompagnent n\ue9cessairement les transformations \ue9conomiques, politiques et culturelles en cours dans la soci\ue9t\ue9