PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Amuri, Mbaraka AU - Msemo, Georgina AU - Plotkin, Marya AU - Christensen, Alice AU - Boyee, Dorica AU - Mahler, Hally AU - Phafoli, Semakaleng AU - Njozi, Mustafa AU - Hellar, Augustino AU - Mlanga, Erick AU - Yansaneh, Aisha AU - Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel AU - Lija, Jackson TI - Bringing Early Infant Male Circumcision Information Home to the Family: Demographic Characteristics and Perspectives of Clients in a Pilot Project in Tanzania AID - 10.9745/GHSP-D-15-00210 DP - 2016 Jul 01 TA - Global Health: Science and Practice PG - S29--S41 VI - 4 IP - Supplement 1 4099 - http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/4/Supplement_1/S29.short 4100 - http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/4/Supplement_1/S29.full SO - GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT2016 Jul 01; 4 AB - During a pilot project in Tanzania’s Iringa region, more than 2,000 male infants were circumcised in less than 2 years in 8 facilities, representing 16.4% of all male births in those facilities. The age of the infant at circumcision and the time of return for follow-up visits varied significantly between urban and rural dwellers. Early infant male circumcision (EIMC) outreach activities and use of health outposts for follow-up visits should be explored to overcome these geographic barriers. EIMC programs will also require targeted investments in demand creation, especially among fathers, to expand and thrive in traditionally non-circumcising settings such as Iringa.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.