The importance of male partner involvement for women's acceptability and adherence to female-initiated HIV prevention methods in Zimbabwe.
Enlisting male partner involvement is perceived as an important component of women's successful uptake of female-initiated HIV prevention methods. We conducted a longitudinal study among a cohort of 955 Zimbabwean women participating in a clinical trial of the effectiveness of a female-initiated HIV prevention method (the diaphragm and lubricant gel) to: (a) describe the extent to which women involved their male partners in the decision to use the study products, and (b) measure the effect perceived male partner support had on their acceptability and consistent use of these methods. Reported levels of male partner involvement in discussions and decisions regarding: joining the study, study activities, the outcome of HIV/STI test results, and product use were very high. In multivariate analyses, regular disclosure of study product use and partner approval for the diaphragm and gel were significantly associated with women's acceptability and consistent use of the products; an essential component for determining efficacy of investigational prevention methods. These results support the need for more sophisticated measurement of how couples interact to make decisions that impact study participation and investigational product use as well as more rigorous adaptations and evaluations of existing strategies to involve male partners in female-initiated HIV prevention trials.
Montgomery
Elizabeth T
ET
Women's Global Health Imperative, RTI International, San Francisco Project Office, San Francisco, CA, USA. emontgomery@rti.org
van der Straten
Ariane
A
Chidanyika
Agnes
A
Chipato
Tsungai
T
Jaffar
Shabbar
S
Padian
Nancy
N
D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D003274:Contraceptive Devices, Female / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult; D015030:Zimbabwe