The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods.
BACKGROUND: To date, male circumcision prevalence has been estimated using surveys of men self-reporting their circumcision status. HIV prevention trials and observational studies involving female participants also collect data on partners' circumcision status as a risk factor for HIV/STIs. A n...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2012-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3358314?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818039962376863744 |
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| author | Paul C Hewett Nicole Haberland Lou Apicella Barbara S Mensch |
| author_facet | Paul C Hewett Nicole Haberland Lou Apicella Barbara S Mensch |
| author_sort | Paul C Hewett |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BACKGROUND: To date, male circumcision prevalence has been estimated using surveys of men self-reporting their circumcision status. HIV prevention trials and observational studies involving female participants also collect data on partners' circumcision status as a risk factor for HIV/STIs. A number of studies indicate that reports of circumcision status may be inaccurate. This study assessed different methods for improving self- and partner reporting of circumcision status. METHODS/FINDINGS: The study was conducted in urban and rural Zambia and urban Swaziland. Men (N = 1264) aged 18-50 and their female partners (N = 1264), and boys (N = 840) aged 13-17 were enrolled. Participants were recruited from HIV counseling and testing sites, health centers, and surrounding communities. The study experimentally assessed methods for improving the reporting of circumcision status, including: a) a simple description of circumcision, b) a detailed description of circumcision, c) an illustration of a circumcised and uncircumcised penis, and d) computerized self-interviewing. Self-reports were compared to visual examination. For men, the error in reporting was largely unidirectional: uncircumcised men more often reported they were circumcised (2-7%), depending on setting. Fewer circumcised men misrepresented their status (0.05-5%). Misreporting by women was significantly higher (11-15%), with the error in both directions. A sizable number of women reported that they did not know their partner's circumcision status (3-8%). Computerized interviewing did not improve accuracy. Providing an illustration, particularly for illiterate participants, significantly improved reporting of circumcision status, decreasing misreporting among illiterate participants from 13% to 10%, although misreporting was not eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: Study results suggest that the prevalence of circumcision may be overestimated in Zambia and Swaziland; the error in reporting is higher among women than among men. Improved reporting when a description or illustration is provided suggests that the source of the error is a lack of understanding of male circumcision. |
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| id | doaj.art-b4ce464b7a87472ba2e561b15c89888d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T08:06:58Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-b4ce464b7a87472ba2e561b15c89888d2022-12-22T01:56:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0175e3625110.1371/journal.pone.0036251The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods.Paul C HewettNicole HaberlandLou ApicellaBarbara S MenschBACKGROUND: To date, male circumcision prevalence has been estimated using surveys of men self-reporting their circumcision status. HIV prevention trials and observational studies involving female participants also collect data on partners' circumcision status as a risk factor for HIV/STIs. A number of studies indicate that reports of circumcision status may be inaccurate. This study assessed different methods for improving self- and partner reporting of circumcision status. METHODS/FINDINGS: The study was conducted in urban and rural Zambia and urban Swaziland. Men (N = 1264) aged 18-50 and their female partners (N = 1264), and boys (N = 840) aged 13-17 were enrolled. Participants were recruited from HIV counseling and testing sites, health centers, and surrounding communities. The study experimentally assessed methods for improving the reporting of circumcision status, including: a) a simple description of circumcision, b) a detailed description of circumcision, c) an illustration of a circumcised and uncircumcised penis, and d) computerized self-interviewing. Self-reports were compared to visual examination. For men, the error in reporting was largely unidirectional: uncircumcised men more often reported they were circumcised (2-7%), depending on setting. Fewer circumcised men misrepresented their status (0.05-5%). Misreporting by women was significantly higher (11-15%), with the error in both directions. A sizable number of women reported that they did not know their partner's circumcision status (3-8%). Computerized interviewing did not improve accuracy. Providing an illustration, particularly for illiterate participants, significantly improved reporting of circumcision status, decreasing misreporting among illiterate participants from 13% to 10%, although misreporting was not eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: Study results suggest that the prevalence of circumcision may be overestimated in Zambia and Swaziland; the error in reporting is higher among women than among men. Improved reporting when a description or illustration is provided suggests that the source of the error is a lack of understanding of male circumcision.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3358314?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Paul C Hewett Nicole Haberland Lou Apicella Barbara S Mensch The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods. PLoS ONE |
| title | The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods. |
| title_full | The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods. |
| title_fullStr | The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods. |
| title_full_unstemmed | The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods. |
| title_short | The (mis)reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in Zambia and Swaziland: a randomized evaluation of interview methods. |
| title_sort | mis reporting of male circumcision status among men and women in zambia and swaziland a randomized evaluation of interview methods |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3358314?pdf=render |
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