The Relationship between Religiosity and Socio-Demographic Factors, and Attitudes towards Assisted Reproduction in Ghana

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between an individuals’ religiosity and their attitudes towards Assisted Reproduction to resolve infertility in Ghana. The study also examined the relationship between socio-demographic variables and the acceptance of assisted reproductive techniques among participants of the study. The relationship between an individual’s cultural estrangement and his attitude towards assisted reproduction was also examined. Many Assisted Reproductive Techniques have become available due to the advancement in medicine and technology. Even though many religions encourage procreation, they have concerns with some of the techniques used in Assisted Reproduction. These concerns include the belief that the use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies poses threats to the marriage relationship. The sanctity of the embryo, during assisted reproduction processes is also of concern to many religions. The objectives of this study were three-fold. First, it sought to find out whether an individual’s level of religiosity predicted his attitudes towards Assisted Reproduction. Secondly, the relationship between socio-demographic variables of participants and their acceptance of Assisted Reproductive Techniques was investigated. Thirdly, the study examined the relationship between cultural estrangement and the attitudes of participants towards Assisted Reproduction. Two hundred and sixteen (216) participants comprising members of four major denominations, (Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal/Charismatic and Moslem) were recruited for this study. They were administered questionnaires which assessed their religiosity, cultural estrangement, and attitudes towards Assisted Reproductive Techniques. Results from this study did not reveal any significant relationship between an individual’s level of religiosity and their attitudes towards Assisted Reproduction. Again, no significant relationship was found between an individual’s cultural estrangement and their attitudes towards Assisted Reproduction. It was found that people who had completed more years in school had more favourable attitudes towards Assisted Reproduction than those who had completed fewer years in school.