Family planning programs have traditionally concentrated on women. This study aimed to determine men's knowledge of contraceptive methods in a rural community in Bahia State, Brazil. Mean age of interviewees was 40.0 (±17.6) years. Avoiding unwanted pregnancy was reported as a responsibility of the couple by 39.7% of the male interviewees (n = 71) and as the man's responsibility by 26.8% (n = 48). The most widely known methods were condoms (98.9%) and the pill (96.6%). Condoms (22.9%), female sterilization (21.2%), and the pill (12.8%) were the most widely used methods. The majority of the interviewees (56.4%) reported that they "always" use some method. The men chose the method in 45.6% of the couples. The results indicate that more options for contraceptive methods should be offered, thereby facilitating the best choice of methods by the couple. Still, since in this study men chose the method in nearly half of the cases, it is necessary to prioritize couples' participation in family planning programs.
Contraception; Rural Communities; Gender
