PARENTHOOD AND CHILDLESSNESS: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEPTION AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS
MUDASIRU ADEKUNLE BELLO1, CHINELO NNEKA AGUIYI-IKEANYI2,*, ANTHONY WAKA UDEZI1
1. Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria
2. Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 16(2): 10-18 ; 2024
ABSTRACT
In Nigeria, cultural norms and values encourage reproduction and celebration of parenthood. Childlessness with its potentially stigmatizing status can adversely affect the identities and interpersonal relationships of couples. This study investigated the factors that constitute perception towards infertility and the relationship between perception scores and demographic factors in a sample of Nigerians resident in Abuja. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the aid of a self-administered structured questionnaire. The questionnaire reliability was determined by Cronbach alpha and it consists of two (2) sections. Section A consists of sociodemographic factors such as sex, age, income, occupation, the length of time the respondents have been trying to have children amongst others. Section B described how individuals feel about infertility. Systematic sampling method was employed. Every third person was approached to be part of the study in two selected study sites in each of the six council areas in Abuja, Nigeria. The collected data were loaded into SPSS version 27 for the calculation of percentages, mean, standard deviation, factor loading and Cronbach alpha. Student t-test and One Way ANOVA were used for inferential analysis as appropriate at < 0.05 level of significance. Most of the respondents 254(42.4%) were aged between 35-44 years. About 327(54.5%) were females while 392(65.3%) were married. One hundred and fifty (25%) had an income between #40,000-79,999 while 387(64.5%) had tertiary level of education. Most (382; 63.7%) had children while 86(14.3%) had been trying for a baby for more than 2 years. The perceived benefit of parenthood had a mean perception score of 3.39±1.29. The negative consequences of having children had a mean value of 2.90±1.32. The psychological aspects of childlessness had a mean value of 4.52±0.92 while the economic benefits of having children had a mean value of 3.17±1.13. The total mean scores were significantly different among the four (4) components extracted (p<0.001, F=220.09). The perception of respondents was mainly made up of factors that constitute the psychological aspects of childlessness and benefits of parenthood. The demographic characteristics influenced the respondent’s perception of childlessness and parenthood.
Keywords: Childlessness, Infertility, Parenthood, Perception
Email of correspondence: chinelo.aguiyi@unn.edu.ng;
https://doi.org/10.59493/ajopred/2024.2.2 ISSN: 0794-800X (print); 1596-2431 (online)