Title: Male partners’ involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness plan in Dale
district, Sidama regional state, Ethiopia, 2021
Version: 1 Date: 03 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
Dear Authors,
Please find my comments below on your paper titled "Predictors of male  involvement in birth
preparedness and complication readiness plan in  Dale district, Sidama regional state, Ethiopia,
2021"
Abstract
Line 15 (typos)..."to improved"  make it to improve
Line 26: "Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses "were" used
Line 27: "BPCRP"-should be written in a full statement as it is appearing for the first time in
the document
Line 28: "Only 622 study participants"-no need of saying "only" as this is a very good response
rate. Rather, try to explain why others did not participate
Line 32:  "giving birth by cesarean section"  ...is this for the previous birth or for the current
birth. Again the types of CS (elective vs emergency ) need to be indicated , particularly if it is for
the current birth.  In addition, you also need to clearly define what is "male involvement in birth
preparedness and complication readiness plan " means,  including the timing of involvement.
Line 37: What is the  bench mark for for male involvement according to  Ethiopian health
transformation plan of 2017?
Background
Line 46 and 47 : "From 1990 to 2015 maternal mortality ration was 12 deaths per 100,000 live
births in high income regions, but 546 for sub-Saharan Africa " this has to be  rewritten as there
must be a change  over this time period.
Line 48 : "412 per 100,000 live births in 2011" ..can you get a recent figure for this.
Line 51( typo):  "utilization of maternal health service  "for" their wives in Africa "
Line 61: "It is possible to decrease maternal mortality in developing countries by 53% and infant
mortality risk by 24% "  would you paraphrase this please. For example,  it was found that , in
developing countries, male involvement decreased maternal and infant mortality risk  by 53%
and  24%, respectively.
Line 72 and 73 (typo): "Male involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness
"was"...what? in Ethiopia"
Line 81 and 82  "BP/CR"vs "BPCRP " Please use this abbreviation consistently and write in a
full statement when it first appears in the document.
Methods
Line: 88: Too many subtitles merged together. Can you make it two subtitles, that is "study
setting " and  "study design". Study design, study period,  and study population-combine them
under "study design".
Line 89: " November to December, 10/2021".Please be consistent, check your abstract.
Line 104 (typos): Sample "sized" was computed.
Line 107: Please clearly justify why did you use the design effect of this study
Line 136 and 138 (typo):  "Data collectors 'was' trained" &  "Data  'was' collected."
Just wondering from whom the data were collected? male partners or their wives or both?
Line 46 and 47: "Variables which were significant were checked using bivariate logistic
regression" this is misplaced and misused. Consider rewriting.
Line 148: "Before logistic regression analysis, the necessary assumptions were checked, and
found to correct". Mention "those necessary assumptions" please.
Line 164-168: consider rewording of your variables. For example," heard about obstetrics danger
sign" needs to be reworded.
Results:  Generally, this section  has to be rewritten again
Line 174 and 178:  "According to table 1 report"  vs  "(see table 1)" . Please remove the first one.
Line  175: "Majorities 308 (61.1%)". Needs to be reworded
Line 180 (typos). "Charactestic" ...Characteristics  (please check this in the entire document).
Line  180 : "Table 2 presents the reproductive characteristics  of male partners". But what has
been included in Table 2 is beyond the reproductive characteristics  of male partners. Please
check this and all other tables as they are poorly constructed.
*As I have said above, the results section needs more work!
Line 230:  "Predictors of male partners’ involvement in birth preparedness plan" . Please again,
be specific about your variables. For example. " Accompanied wife to health facility" when ?,
"wives with previous complication"  what does this mean? . Consider rewording most of your
variables and be specific and consistent through out your document.
Discussion
Line 251-257: Avoid repeating the results here!  I am assuming that improving results section
would also further enrich this section.
Conclusion
Again, the way you have phrased your variables is  different here. Most importantly,  if you
say that "lack of previous child birth complication "  was a predictor for non-involvement of
male partners (by implication), what are you going to recommend for this? This is  where you
appreciate the power of properly wording the variables.
Thanks,