title: Bringing Early Infant Male Circumcision Information Home to the Family: Demographic Characteristics and Perspectives of Clients in a Pilot Project in Tanzania.
abstract: Iringa region of Tanzania has had great success reaching targets for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC). Looking to sustain high coverage of male circumcision, the government introduced a pilot project to offer early infant male circumcision (EIMC) in Iringa in 2013. From April 2013 to December 2014, a total of 2,084 male infants were circumcised in 8 health facilities in the region, representing 16.4% of all male infants born in those facilities. Most circumcisions took place 7 days or more after birth. The procedure proved safe, with only 3 mild and 3 moderate adverse events (0.4% overall adverse event rate). Overall, 93% of infants were brought back for a second-day visit and 71% for a seventh-day visit. These percentages varied significantly by urban and rural residence (97.4% urban versus 84.6% rural for day 2 visit; 82.2% urban versus 49.9% rural for day 7 visit). Mothers were more likely than fathers to have received information about EIMC. However, fathers tended to be key decision makers regarding circumcision of their sons. This suggests the importance of addressing fathers with behavioral change communication about EIMC. Successes in scaling up VMMC services in Iringa did not translate into immediate acceptability of EIMC. EIMC programs will require targeted investments in demand creation to expand and thrive in traditionally non-circumcising settings such as Iringa.
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego and AIDSFree, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Mbaraka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amuri
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Msemo
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego and AIDSFree, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Marya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plotkin
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego and AIDSFree, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania alice.christensen@jhpiego.org.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego and AIDSFree, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Dorica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boyee
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego and AIDSFree, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Hally
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahler
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego, Maseru, Lesotho.
authors.forename: Semakaleng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phafoli
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego and AIDSFree, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Njozi
authors.affiliation: Jhpiego and AIDSFree, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Augustino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hellar
authors.affiliation: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Erick
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mlanga
authors.affiliation: USAID, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Aisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yansaneh
authors.affiliation: USAID, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Njeuhmeli
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Jackson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lija
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002944:Circumcision, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013636:Tanzania