Communication as an Antidote to Cultural and Religious Barriers in Family Planning in Delta State

Abstract

This study systematically explored the use of communication as an antidote to cultural and religious barriers in family planning. It is identified that one of the most effective ways to harness the power of communication in this context is through collaboration with cultural and religious leaders to break barrier to family planning process. Based on primary data from a survey, the study is rationalized by the social cognitive theory (SCT). Spotlighted the communication strategies as catalyst for change and concluded that effective communication strategies can improve family planning, self-efficacy, and empower individuals, leading to improved reproductive health and gender equality. The population are 177 patient and healthcare workers at General Hospital, Abraka and General Hospital, Obiaruku A Likert scale questionnaire was the instrument of data collection and was administered randomly to those present at a clinic day. Findings shows that adoption of family planning faces strong barrier of culture and religion however, communication strategies can create a supportive environment where family planning is seen as a means of enhancing the well-being of families and communities.  The study recommends that developing communication strategies involving religious leaders in faith-based communities to promote family planning, training community members in rural areas to advocate for it, and integrating family planning education into youth-focused communication platforms to shape attitudes and beliefs.