title: Barriers to Male Involvement in Antenatal Care in Rural Mozambique.
abstract: Low rates of antenatal care (ANC) service uptake limit the potential impact of mother-to-child HIV-prevention strategies. Zambézia province, Mozambique, has one of the lowest proportions of ANC uptake among pregnant women in the country, despite the availability of free services. We sought to identify factors influencing ANC service uptake (including HIV counseling and testing) through qualitative methods. In addition, we encouraged discussion about strategies to improve uptake of services. We conducted 14 focus groups to explore community views on these topics. Based on thematic coding of discourse, two main themes emerged: (a) gender inequality in decision making and responsibility for pregnancy and (b) community beliefs that uptake of ANC services, particularly, if supported by a male partner, reflects a woman's HIV-positive status. Interventions to promote ANC uptake must work to shift cultural norms through male partner participation. Potential strategies to promote male engagement in ANC services are discussed.
authors: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA carolyn.m.audet@vanderbilt.edu.
authors: Carolyn M
authors: CM
authors: Audet
authors: Friends in Global Health (FGH), Quelimane, Mozambique.
authors: Yazalde Manual
authors: YM
authors: Chire
authors: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Friends in Global Health (FGH), Quelimane, Mozambique Save the Children, Washington, D.C., USA.
authors: Lara M E
authors: LM
authors: Vaz
authors: Friends in Global Health (FGH), Quelimane, Mozambique.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Bechtel
authors: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
authors: Daphne
authors: D
authors: Carlson-Bremer
authors: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
authors: C William
authors: CW
authors: Wester
authors: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors: K Rivet
authors: KR
authors: Amico
authors: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Friends in Global Health (FGH), Quelimane, Mozambique.
authors: Lázaro
authors: L
authors: Gonzaléz-Calvo
mesh_terms: D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009073:Mozambique; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012424:Rural Population; D012747:Sexual Partners
keywords: Africa, sub-Saharan; HIV/AIDS; gender; pregnancy; qualitative; relationships; rural; stigma