Abstract:

A rapidly increasing population is a threat to national development, family stability and social security. This study aimed at assessing family size preferences and its predictors among married men in urban slums in Enugu, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study that involved household survey of 381 married men living in urban slums of Enugu, Nigeria was carried out. Data was collected using pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data aanalysis was done with IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The average actual family size was 6 people, with an average of 4 children. 62.5% had their children mixed, 27% had all males, while 10.5% had all girls. However, over 50% of respondents desired to have a family size of 8 or more, with 52.8% of them preferring to have at least 3 sons and 3 daughters. The predictors of family size were: age of respondent (AOR 2.951; CI=1.343-3.314), sex distribution (AOR 2.905; CI= 1.960-4.306), number of twins (AOR 4.720 CI= 1.821-12.231), desired number of children (AOR 7.566; CI=2.334-24.522), desire to continue childbirth (AOR 0.202; CI=0.084-0.482) and desire to have more children if income is increased (AOR 0.403; CI= 0.176-0.919). Actual and desired family size, as well as male sex preference, were high among married men in Enugu urban slums. Family size was predicted by the age of respondent, sex distribution, number of twins, the desired number of children and desire to have more children. Health education programs on population control should target urban slum dwellers to enhance human and economic development.

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