‘She mustn’t be the mother alone’: motivators, barriers, and recommendations for men’s engagement with reproductive research in South Africa

Abstract

There is a notable lack of engagement in reproductive and lifecourse research with and from men, with a disproportionate focus on women. While studies investigating the lack of men’s engagement with services exist, there is little evidence on their engagement with reproductive and lifecourse research. This article qualitatively examines men’s engagement in such research in the Bukhali trial in South Africa. Single, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 male partners of Bukhali participants, and data were thematically analysed. Results were grouped into three domains: (i) motivators for engagement, (ii) barriers to engagement, and (iii) recommendations to improve engagement. Motivators to engage included partner support, desiring to learn and gain knowledge, and taking the opportunity to access the same perceived trial benefits as their partner. Barriers included having misconceptions around the research, fear and mistrust of hospitals and illness, gendered ideas around ‘women’s health issues’, hesitance around sharing personal details, and lack of time and perceived (financial) benefits. To increase engagement, male partners recommended increasing awareness and creating safe research spaces for men. Each theme was inflected with male partners’ sociocultural and contextual realities and provided valuable insights into obstacles and opportunities for improving men’s engagement in reproductive research.