Title : Examining gendered parental perspectives on child spacing in rural Sierra Leone
Abstract:
Data from recent focus group discussions in rural Sierra Leone suggest that mothers and fathers maintain notably different perspectives on childbearing frequency and child spacing practices, potentially undermining the effective implementation of child spacing public health initiatives. Literature reveals that child spacing is critical to mitigating short birth intervals, one of the leading causes of under-five mortality rates in Sierra Leone. According to the most recent 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health survey, 26% of women wanted to limit childbearing, while only 19% of men wanted to do so, a disparity that is particularly pronounced in rural areas where access to healthcare education and medical services remains limited. Understanding the social, cultural, practical, and gendered factors behind conflicting preferences of mothers and fathers is critical for designing effective and equitable child spacing interventions. Our qualitative study examines how mothers and fathers conceptualize child spacing and prioritize its perceived benefits to influence household decision-making and the implementation of child spacing practices.
Mothers of Sierra Leone (MOSL), a project based at Lehigh University, uses film intervention to promote health-seeking behaviors and improve maternal and child health outcomes. At the Maforay Village in rural Bombali district, Sierra Leone, MOSL’s film Child Spacing and Maternal Health was shown to four focus groups of mothers and fathers (n=7/group), followed by a guided focus group discussion facilitated by a Krio translator. Focus group discussion questions included participant's key takeaways, likes and dislikes, observations, and general feedback on the film. Participant responses were recorded, transcribed, and further coded into thematic categories. Findings revealed that mothers acted as experiential managers of spacing practices and fathers as principle-driven decision-makers making inclusive support systems crucial for aligning understanding, reducing resistance, and translating shared values into coordinated family action.
These data provide a deeper understanding of the decision-making process of child spacing in rural Sierra Leone, including patterns of influence over child spacing decisions and how tensions between mothers’ and fathers’ perspectives function as a barrier to child spacing implementation. Understanding these nuanced barriers to child spacing can inform more effective interventions that not only increase knowledge but also address social and relational factors influencing reproductive health decisions in rural Sierra Leone.
