title: A randomized controlled trial to promote long-term contraceptive use among HIV-serodiscordant and concordant positive couples in Zambia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Countries facing high HIV prevalence often also experience high levels of fertility and low contraceptive use, suggesting high levels of unmet need for contraceptive services. In particular, the unique needs of couples with one or both partners HIV positive are largely missing from many current family planning efforts, which focus on the prevention of pregnancies in the absence of reduction of the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
  
  
  METHODS
  This article presents an examination of contraceptive method uptake among a cohort of HIV serodiscordant and concordant positive study participants in Zambia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline contraceptive use was low; however, exposure to a video-based intervention that provided information on contraceptive methods and modeled desirable future planning behaviors dramatically increased the uptake of modern contraceptive methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Including information on family planning in voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services in addition to tailoring the delivery of family planning information to meet the needs and concerns of HIV-positive women or those with HIV-positive partners is an essential step in the delivery of services and prevention efforts to reduce the transmission of HIV. Family planning and HIV prevention programs should integrate counseling on dual method use, combining condoms for HIV/STI prevention with a long-acting contraceptive for added protection against unplanned pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. rbsteph@sph.emory.edu
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.forename: Bellington
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vwalika
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Cheswa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vwalika
authors.forename: Elwyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chomba
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kilembe
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tichacek
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult; D015024:Zambia
chemical_list: D003270:Contraceptive Agents