title: The role of men in women's acceptance of an intravaginal gel in a randomized clinical trial in Blantyre, Malawi: a qualitative and quantitative analysis.
abstract: Survey questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to investigate the association between a female participant's acceptance and her perception of her male partner's acceptance of an intravaginal gel as a prototype microbicide. Women who perceived their male partners would accept using the gel were more likely to highly accept the gel as compared to women who perceived their male partners would not accept using the gel (OR=24.57; 95%CI: 16.49-36.61). Qualitative analysis supported a positive association between female acceptability and perceived male partner acceptability. Qualitative research reiterated this finding and also found that men and women had different approaches to assess gel acceptability. Women integrated perceptions of their partner's acceptance into their own acceptability and reported their partners had positive experiences. In contrast, men reported a more neutral experience with the gel and assessed the gel without overt consideration of their partner's experiences. These results indicate that female perceptions of male partner acceptability and actual male partner acceptability need to be considered when addressing female-controlled product acceptability and use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. msalter@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Salter
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Celentano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diener-West
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nkhoma
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumwenda
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Taha
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D013089:Spermatocidal Agents; D014622:Vaginal Creams, Foams, and Jellies