Long-term perspectives of Muslim and Christian religious leaders on an educational intervention about family planning in Tanzania

Bibliographic Data

ID15540305
AuthorsHajirah Gumanneh (Weill Cornell Medicine, corresponding author), Sheridan F Bowers (0000-0002-1818-726X, Center for Global Health), Enock Miyaye (Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences), Pray Solomon Kweka (0000-0001-8216-7493, St. Augustine University of Tanzania), Aneth Nzali (Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit), Ramadhan Mtita, Yassin Mchondo, Samuel Kalluvya (0000-0002-2582-2081, Bugando Medical Centre), Jennifer A Downs (0000-0001-9537-204X, Center for Global Health, corresponding author), Agrey H Mwakisole (St. Augustine University of Tanzania)
Year2025
Volume20
Issue1
Pages2473455-2473455
Publication date2025-03-05
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1744-1692 • E-ISSN: 1744-1706
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17441692.2025.2473455
PMID40044588
OpenAlexW4408209763
LanguageEN
References cited22

Family planning (FP) education is essential in many sub-Saharan African countries, where there is a high unsatisfied demand for FP despite its availability at healthcare facilities free of charge. Male opposition, limited health knowledge, and concern about compatibility with religious beliefs are major causes of unsatisfied demand. Previous studies have shown that partnerships with religious leaders can increase family planning knowledge and uptake. However, most studies have observed short-term effects of educating religious leaders and little is known of the long-term sustainability of such an intervention. In this study, we interviewed Christian religious leaders 4-5 years after, and Muslim religious leaders 1.75 years after, they received an educational intervention on the medical and religious aspects of FP. We sought to assess the long-term impacts of this FP educational intervention on community discussions of FP and to identify continued challenges. We found that, even years after the intervention, religious leaders continued to educate community members in multiple settings and remained willing and motivated to teach about FP. These results suggest that educating religious leaders is a sustainable and potentially highly cost-effective intervention to improve knowledge and access to FP in communities where cultural norms and religious beliefs may serve as barriers

Economic growth · Intervention (counseling · Opposition (politics · Pedagogy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Religious education · Religious organization · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Tanzania · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Global Maternal and Child Health · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Psychology