Female healthcare professionals’ knowledge of vasectomy  Access  and attitudes toward partner uptake: A cross-sectional  analysis of physicians and nurses :

Kwaku Asah-Opoku; Theophilus Bampoe Opoku; Anthony Godi; Samuel Tettey-Mensah; Theodore Boafor; Michael Ntumy; Kareem Mumuni

doi:10.46829/hsijournal.2025.6.7.1.1140-1147

Kwaku Asah-Opoku Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Theophilus Bampoe Opoku Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Anthony Godi Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Samuel Tettey-Mensah 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Theodore Boafor Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Michael Ntumy Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Kareem Mumuni Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46829/hsijournal.2025.6.7.1.1140-1147

Keywords: Vasectomy, Female healthcare professionals, Partner attitudes, Knowledge

Abstract

Background: Permanent contraception is a key method used by individuals who have completed their families or do not seek to have children. Common methods include bilateral tubal ligation in females and vasectomy in males. Vasectomy involves cutting and sealing each of the vas deferens to prevent sperm movement, leading to sterilisation. Despite being safer, more effective, relatively cheaper, and associated with fewer complications, vasectomy is not as commonly utilised as bilateral tubal ligation. The reasons for this disparity are unclear.
Objective: The study assessed female doctors and nurses/midwives’ knowledge of vasectomy and determined their acceptance of this procedure as a permanent contraceptive method for their male partners.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved the completion of self-administered online questionnaires by 308 female doctors and nurses/midwives at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Data were collected in Microsoft Excel and analysed using IBM SPSS version 25. The data was analysed by using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The 308 participants had a mean age of 32.7 ± 6.6 years. Nurses/midwives comprised 55.8%, and the rest were doctors. Only 33.8% of the participants demonstrated good knowledge of vasectomy (defined as a knowledge score greater than 80%). Thirty-nine percent were willing to allow their partners to undergo a vasectomy. Factors associated with this willingness included their inclination to recommend vasectomy as a contraception method generally, adjusted odds ratio of 13.01 (95% CI 4.66, 36.33), and having family members indifferent about their partners undergoing vasectomy, adjusted odds ratio of 2.01 (95% CI 1.02, 3.97).
Conclusion: There is low knowledge of vasectomy among female doctors, nurses and midwives. Only about two-fifths of female doctors and nurses/midwives were willing to allow their male partners to undergo the procedure, and factors associated with this willingness included their inclination to generally recommend vasectomy as a contraception method and family indifference towards the procedure. More education on vasectomy is needed, including its incorporation into medical and nursing training curricula.

Female healthcare professionals’ knowledge of vasectomy Access and attitudes toward partner uptake: A cross-sectional analysis of physicians and nurses

Female healthcare professionals' knowledge of vasectomy and attitudes toward partner adoption

Abstract