title: Developing a Safer Conception Intervention for Men Living with HIV in South Africa.
abstract: Within sexual partnerships, men make many decisions about sexual behavior, reproductive goals, and HIV prevention. There are increasing calls to involve men in reproductive health and HIV prevention. This paper describes the process of creating and evaluating the acceptability of a safer conception intervention for men living with HIV who want to have children with partners at risk for acquiring HIV in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Based on formative work conducted with men and women living with HIV, their partners, and providers, we developed an intervention based on principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy to support men in the adoption of HIV risk-reduction behaviors such as HIV-serostatus disclosure and uptake of and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Structured group discussions were used to explore intervention acceptability and feasibility. Our work demonstrates that men are eager for reproductive health services, but face unique barriers to accessing them.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Hazar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khidir
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Behavioral Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Psaros
authors.affiliation: Maternal Adolescent and Child Health (MatCH) Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: Letitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Greener
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 722, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Kasey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.affiliation: Maternal Adolescent and Child Health (MatCH) Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mxolisi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mathenjwa
authors.affiliation: Maternal Adolescent and Child Health (MatCH) Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Mosery
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lizzie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 722, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Bangsberg
authors.affiliation: Maternal Adolescent and Child Health (MatCH) Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.|Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Safren
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. ltmatthews@mgh.harvard.edu.|Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 722, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. ltmatthews@mgh.harvard.edu.|Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. ltmatthews@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Lynn T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D060728:Reproductive Health; D034121:Reproductive Health Services; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013019:South Africa; D014342:Truth Disclosure
keywords: Behavior change; HIV prevention; HIV-serodiscordant couples; Intervention development; MLWH; Qualitative research; Reproductive health; Safer conception; South Africa