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Acceptability, Knowledge, Beliefs, and Partners as Determinants of Zambian Men’s Readiness to Undergo Medical Male Circumcision

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Abstract

There is limited information about the influence of partners on medical male circumcision (MMC) uptake. This study aimed to evaluate attitudes, knowledge, and preferences about MMC among men and their partners, and their relative impact on male readiness to undergo the MMC procedure. Male participants (n = 354) and their partners (n = 273) were recruited from community health centers in Lusaka, Zambia. Men reported their readiness to undergo MMC, and both men and women were assessed regarding their attitudes and knowledge regarding MMC. Men who had discussed MMC with their partners, those who endorsed MMC for HIV risk reduction, and those viewing MMC as culturally acceptable reported increased readiness to undergo MMC. Additionally, endorsement of MMC by female partners was associated with increased men’s readiness. Results support promotion of cultural acceptability of MMC, and efforts to increase MMC uptake may benefit from incorporating partners in the decision making process.

Resumen

Existe poca información sobre la influencia de las parejas en la aceptación de la circuncisión médica masculina (CMM). El objetivo de este estudio es evalua las actitudes, el conocimento y las preferencias de hombres y de sus parejas acerca de la CMM; y el impacto relativo de estos en la disposición masculina a someterse al procedimiento. Trescientos cincuenta y cuatro hombres (n = 354) y sus parejas sexuales (n = 273) fueron reclutados de centros de salud comunitarios en Lusaka, Zambia. Los hombres indicaron que estaban dispuestos a someterse a la CMM, y ambos hombres y mujeres fueron evaluados acerca de sus conocimientos y actitudes sobre la CMM. Los hombres que habían hablado sobre la CMM con sus parejas, los que respaldan la CMM como una estrategia para reducir el riesgo de contraer VIH y los que perciben la CMM como culturalmente acceptable, reportaron una mayor disposición a someterse a la intervencion. Ademas, el apoyo de las parejas a la CMM esta associado positivamente a la disposición masculina. Estos resultados sirven de apoyo a programas enfocados en aumentar la aceptabilidad cultural de la CMM. Igualmente, los esfuerzos dirigidos a aumentar la practica de la CMM deben incorporar a las parejas en la toma de decisiones.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by NIH Grant no. R01MH095539.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1400 NW 10th Ave. Suite 404A, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Deborah Jones, Ryan Cook, Kris Arheart, Jose Castro & Stephen M. Weiss

  2. Cancer Prevention Research Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    Colleen A. Redding

  3. University of Zambia Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia

    Robert Zulu

Authors
  1. Deborah Jones
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  2. Ryan Cook
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  7. Stephen M. Weiss
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Correspondence to Deborah Jones.

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Jones, D., Cook, R., Arheart, K. et al. Acceptability, Knowledge, Beliefs, and Partners as Determinants of Zambian Men’s Readiness to Undergo Medical Male Circumcision. AIDS Behav 18, 278–284 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0530-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0530-0

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