Male involvement in PMTCT services in Mbeya Region, Tanzania.
Throughout all stages of programmes for the prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV (PMTCT), high dropout rates are common. Increased male involvement and couples' joint HIV counselling/testing during antenatal care (ANC) seem crucial for improving PMTCT outcomes. Our study assessed male attitudes regarding partner involvement into ANC/PMTCT services in Mbeya Region, Tanzania, conducting 124 individual interviews and six focus group discussions. Almost all respondents generally supported PMTCT interventions. Mentioned barriers to ANC/PMTCT attendance included lacking information/knowledge, no time, neglected importance, the services representing a female responsibility, or fear of HIV-test results. Only few perceived couple HIV counselling/testing as disadvantageous. Among fathers who had refused previous ANC/PMTCT attendance, most had done so even though they were not perceiving a disadvantage about couple counselling/testing. The contradiction between men's beneficial attitudes towards their involvement and low participation rates suggests that external barriers play a large role in this decision-making process and that partner's needs should be more specifically addressed in ANC/PMTCT services.
Theuring
Stefanie
S
Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité University Medicine, Spandauer Damm 130, 14050, Berlin, Germany. stefanie.theuring@charite.de
Mbezi
Paulina
P
Luvanda
Hebel
H
Jordan-Harder
Brigitte
B
Kunz
Andrea
A
Harms
Gundel
G
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013636:Tanzania; D055815:Young Adult