Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
<h4>Background</h4>Male partner participation improves uptake, retention and outcomes of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services. However, in patriarchal settings few men accompany their partners to antenatal care (ANC) and PMTCT services. We explored whether c...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2018-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207986 |
| _version_ | 1818590986039721984 |
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| author | Goodluck Willey Lyatuu Helga Naburi Roseline Urrio Shally Zumba Mwashemele Sarah Mdingi Rehema Panga Happiness Koda Yusuph Chende Martha Tsere Aisa Mhalu Helen Siril Irene Andrew Lema Eric Aris Aisa Nkya Muya Maria Rosaria Galanti Gunnel Biberfeld Charles Kilewo Anna Mia Ekström |
| author_facet | Goodluck Willey Lyatuu Helga Naburi Roseline Urrio Shally Zumba Mwashemele Sarah Mdingi Rehema Panga Happiness Koda Yusuph Chende Martha Tsere Aisa Mhalu Helen Siril Irene Andrew Lema Eric Aris Aisa Nkya Muya Maria Rosaria Galanti Gunnel Biberfeld Charles Kilewo Anna Mia Ekström |
| author_sort | Goodluck Willey Lyatuu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Male partner participation improves uptake, retention and outcomes of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services. However, in patriarchal settings few men accompany their partners to antenatal care (ANC) and PMTCT services. We explored whether community leaders can improve male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT.<h4>Methods</h4>We integrated initiatives to increase male partner participation in routine ANC care in six health facilities (attending about 4,500 new pregnant women per quarter) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 2015/16. These initiatives were adapted from a best performing health facility, on male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT, referred to as the "best practice site". At the six purposively selected intervention sites, we sensitized and garnered commitment from healthcare providers to provide couple friendly services. We then worked with the providers to sensitize and engage community leaders to integrate and promote male partner participation initiatives in their routine community activities. We assessed change in male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT using the proportion of women testing for HIV together with their partners (i.e. couple HIV testing) by quarter. We used 203 ANC facilities (attending about 31,000 new pregnant women per quarter) in the same area as control sites.<h4>Results</h4>After one year, couple HIV testing in the six intervention sites had tripled from 11.9% at baseline to 36.0% (p<0.001) while there was very little change (from 17.7% to 18.3%) in the 203 control sites (p = 0.07). Statistically significant improvements in couple testing were observed in four of the six intervention sites (6.7% to 19.1%; 9.3% to 74.6%; 46.2% to 95.2%; and 4.7% to 15.1% respectively. p<0.001 for all sites). Two of these four sites, located in the same administrative district as the best practice site, achieved remarkably high couple HIV testing (95.2% and 74.6%). This may be attributable to the greater engagement and active participation of the community leaders in these two sites compared to the other four.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Effective engagement and functional partnerships between healthcare providers and community leaders can contribute to improve male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT services. PMTCT programs should capitalize on community leaders, in addressing low male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT, in order to improve effective uptake, retention and outcomes of HIV prevention and treatment services among pregnant and breastfeeding women, their partners, infants and families. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T10:05:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2690a88d8852476082dc722523cdf593 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T10:05:15Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2690a88d8852476082dc722523cdf5932022-12-21T22:35:41ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-011312e020798610.1371/journal.pone.0207986Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Goodluck Willey LyatuuHelga NaburiRoseline UrrioShally Zumba MwashemeleSarah MdingiRehema PangaHappiness KodaYusuph ChendeMartha TsereAisa MhaluHelen SirilIrene Andrew LemaEric ArisAisa Nkya MuyaMaria Rosaria GalantiGunnel BiberfeldCharles KilewoAnna Mia Ekström<h4>Background</h4>Male partner participation improves uptake, retention and outcomes of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services. However, in patriarchal settings few men accompany their partners to antenatal care (ANC) and PMTCT services. We explored whether community leaders can improve male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT.<h4>Methods</h4>We integrated initiatives to increase male partner participation in routine ANC care in six health facilities (attending about 4,500 new pregnant women per quarter) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 2015/16. These initiatives were adapted from a best performing health facility, on male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT, referred to as the "best practice site". At the six purposively selected intervention sites, we sensitized and garnered commitment from healthcare providers to provide couple friendly services. We then worked with the providers to sensitize and engage community leaders to integrate and promote male partner participation initiatives in their routine community activities. We assessed change in male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT using the proportion of women testing for HIV together with their partners (i.e. couple HIV testing) by quarter. We used 203 ANC facilities (attending about 31,000 new pregnant women per quarter) in the same area as control sites.<h4>Results</h4>After one year, couple HIV testing in the six intervention sites had tripled from 11.9% at baseline to 36.0% (p<0.001) while there was very little change (from 17.7% to 18.3%) in the 203 control sites (p = 0.07). Statistically significant improvements in couple testing were observed in four of the six intervention sites (6.7% to 19.1%; 9.3% to 74.6%; 46.2% to 95.2%; and 4.7% to 15.1% respectively. p<0.001 for all sites). Two of these four sites, located in the same administrative district as the best practice site, achieved remarkably high couple HIV testing (95.2% and 74.6%). This may be attributable to the greater engagement and active participation of the community leaders in these two sites compared to the other four.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Effective engagement and functional partnerships between healthcare providers and community leaders can contribute to improve male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT services. PMTCT programs should capitalize on community leaders, in addressing low male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT, in order to improve effective uptake, retention and outcomes of HIV prevention and treatment services among pregnant and breastfeeding women, their partners, infants and families.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207986 |
| spellingShingle | Goodluck Willey Lyatuu Helga Naburi Roseline Urrio Shally Zumba Mwashemele Sarah Mdingi Rehema Panga Happiness Koda Yusuph Chende Martha Tsere Aisa Mhalu Helen Siril Irene Andrew Lema Eric Aris Aisa Nkya Muya Maria Rosaria Galanti Gunnel Biberfeld Charles Kilewo Anna Mia Ekström Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. PLoS ONE |
| title | Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| title_full | Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| title_fullStr | Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| title_short | Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. |
| title_sort | engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother to child transmission of hiv in dar es salaam tanzania |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207986 |
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