Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward family planning among Yemeni married men

Family planning enables individuals and couples to achieve their desired number of children and to control the spacing and timing of their births. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding family planning services among married men at Mukalla public hospitals. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 among 366 married men attending outpatient departments of three public hospitals in Mukalla City, Yemen. A two-stage sampling approach was used: first, all public hospitals in Mukalla were included; second, proportional convenience sampling was applied within outpatient clinics. Eligible married men aged 20–50 years with at least one living child or a pregnant wife were recruited using interviewer-administered questionnaires containing closed-ended questions. The survey comprised four sections: demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to family planning. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics, and non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis) were used to examine associations between KAP scores and all sociodemographic variables of the questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 35.25 years (± 7.96), with the majority (60.1%) married for less than 10 years. More than half of the respondents (51.9%) demonstrated good knowledge of family planning methods, with a mean knowledge score of 7.27 (± 2.31). However, only 21.1% reported current use of family planning methods, with oral contraceptive pills being the most commonly known and practiced method. Regarding attitudes, only 38.8% of participants exhibited favorable views toward family planning. The primary barriers to using family planning methods included the desire for more children and concerns about potential side effects. While most participants displayed adequate knowledge of family planning methods, their attitudes and practices remained suboptimal. Targeted health education campaigns and promotional initiatives are recommended to improve attitudes and encourage married men in this region to adopt family planning methods.