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Knowledge and Attitudes About Male Circumcision for HIV-1 Prevention among Heterosexual HIV-1 Serodiscordant Partnerships in Kampala, Uganda

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Abstract

Male circumcision for HIV-1 prevention will require high uptake among at-risk populations. 318 HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Kampala, Uganda [155 (48.7%) with HIV-1 uninfected male partners] were interviewed about male circumcision for HIV-1 prevention. 77.1% of men and 89.6% of women were aware that circumcision reduces men’s risk for HIV-1 acquisition. Almost all understood the partial protective efficacy of circumcision for HIV-1 acquisition and lack of reduced HIV-1 transmission from circumcising HIV-1 infected men. Among couples with uncircumcised HIV-1 negative men (n = 92), 53.3% of men and 88.1% of female partners expressed interest in male circumcision. Previous discussion within the couple about circumcision for HIV-1 prevention was significantly associated with interest in the procedure. HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Uganda demonstrated a high level of understanding of the partial protective effect of male circumcision for HIV-1 prevention, but only half of HIV-1 uninfected uncircumcised men expressed interest in the procedure.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the dedication of the two research assistants, Kijjambu Godfrey and Namanda Sylvia, Grace Svilar, and Alice Cantini, and the staff of Partners Clinic Bukoto. We thank Drs. Shelley Francis and Ajay Sethi for their contributions to questionnaire design and results interpretation. We are most grateful to the study participants. This project was supported by the AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP) at Case Western Reserve University, Grant #D43-TW000011, funded by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health and through the Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant #26469, to the University of Washington). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Kenneth K. Mugwanya.

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Mugwanya, K.K., Baeten, J.M., Nakku-Joloba, E. et al. Knowledge and Attitudes About Male Circumcision for HIV-1 Prevention among Heterosexual HIV-1 Serodiscordant Partnerships in Kampala, Uganda. AIDS Behav 14, 1190–1197 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9696-x

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