Determinants of modern contraceptive use among sexually active men in Ethiopia; using EDHS 2016 national survey

BACKGROUND: Recently, the focus of family planning programs has changed from female oriented to men oriented, or both partner oriented to have effective outcomes. Although, contraceptive use among sexually active women was exhaustively researched; there is still a huge gap on modern contraceptive use and its determinants among sexually active men in Ethiopia. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the determinants of contraceptive use among sexually active men in Ethiopia using national survey data. METHOD: The data source for this study was the 2016’s Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey of men aged above 15–59 years. We analyzed data of 12, 688 sexually active men in the past 12 months prior to the survey using STATA version 14.1. Bivariate and multivariable multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted and statistical significance was set at p value < 0.05. RESULT: From a total of 12, 688 sexually active men in Ethiopia, 9378 (73.9%) didn’t use any modern contraception or use traditional methods, 2394 (18.9%) use partner methods for those who reported using a method through their partner (such as pill, IUD, injections, female sterilization and Norplant) and the rest 916 (7.2%) used male methods for those who reported using male only methods (such as condoms and male sterilization). In the adjusted multinomial logistic regression model, men’s age categories 25–34 years (AOR:2.0; 95%CI = 1.5–2.5), 35–44 (AOR: 2.8; 95%CI = (2.0–3.8), and 45(+) years (AOR: 1.5; 95%CI = 1.0–2.6), being rural resident (AOR: 1.60; (95%CI = 1.3–2.2), married and living with partner (AOR: 0.03; (95%CI = 0.01–0.06), who attended secondary (AOR:1.2; (95%CI = 0.8–1.9) and higher (AOR: 1.4; (95%CI = 1.2–2.5) education, whose partner was working (AOR: 1.6; (95%CI = 1.3–2.2), having three and above children (AOR: 0.5; (95%CI = 0.3–0.8), reading newspaper/magazines at least once a week or less than once a week, listening to radio at least once a week, watching television at least once a week and watching television less than once a week were significantly associated with use of male method than traditional/no method as compared to their respective references. CONCLUSION: Modern contraceptive use among sexually active men in Ethiopia is low and multiple factors determined it. Close monitoring and supporting of sexually active men with age above 25 years, rural background, higher educational level, whose partner was working, having three and more children and little exposure to media may increase men’s use of modern contraceptives.