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Kamenga, Munkolenkole; Sweat, Michael D.; Zoysa, Isabelle de; Dallabetta, Gina; Coates, Thomas J.; Grinstead, Olga; Gregorich, Steven E.; Heilbron, David C.; Wolf, W; Choi, Kyung–Hee; Schachter, Julius; Balmer, Donald; Kihuho, Francis; Moses, Stephen; Plummer, Frank; Sangiwa, M. Gloria; Hogan, Margaret; Kilewo, Japhet; Mwakigile, Davis; Furlonge, C; O’Reilly, Kevin; Kalibala, Samuel; Nkowane, B M; Praag, Eric van

doi:10.1023/a:1009528505965

Cited by 17 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 18 publications

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“…However, men often use their female partner’s status as a proxy for their own HIV status, without ever having been tested themselves [30]. Often CHCT is, indeed, the intervention itself [9,31,32], and the goals of the intervention have been to determine the effectiveness of participating in CHCT as a risk reduction strategy. Third, other sexual behavior risk factors are important to consider, including the presence and frequency of unprotected sex with both primary and outside concurrent partners [33,34].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uthando Lwethu (‘our love’): a protocol for a couples-based intervention to increase testing for HIV: a randomized controlled trial in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Darbes

Rooyen

Hosegood

et al. 2014

Trials

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BackgroundCouples-based HIV counseling and testing (CHCT) is a proven strategy to reduce the risk of HIV transmission between partners, but uptake of CHCT is low. We describe the study design of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to increase participation in CHCT and reduce sexual risk behavior for HIV among heterosexual couples in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We hypothesize that the rate of participation in CHCT will be higher and sexual risk behavior will be lower in the intervention group as compared to the control.Methods/designHeterosexual couples (N = 350 couples, 700 individuals) are being recruited to participate in a randomized trial of a couples-based intervention comprising two group sessions (one mixed gender, one single gender) and four couples’ counseling sessions. Couples must have been in a relationship together for at least 6 months. Quantitative assessments are conducted via mobile phones by gender-matched interviewers at baseline, 3, 6, and 9 months post-randomization. Intervention content is aimed to improve relationship dynamics, and includes communication skills and setting goals regarding CHCT.DiscussionThe Uthando Lwethu (‘our love’) intervention is the first couples-based intervention to have CHCT as its outcome. We are also targeting reductions in unprotected sex. CHCT necessitates the testing and mutual disclosure of both partners, conditions that are essential for improving subsequent outcomes such as disclosure of HIV status, sexual risk reduction, and improving treatment outcomes. Thus, improving rates of CHCT has the potential to improve health outcomes for heterosexual couples in a rural area of South Africa that is highly impacted by HIV. The results of our ongoing clinical trial will provide much needed information regarding whether a relationship-focused approach is effective in increasing rates of participation in CHCT. Our intervention represents an attempt to move away from individual-level conceptualizations, to a more integrated approach for HIV prevention.Trial registrationStudy Name: Couples in Context: An RCT of a Couples-based HIV Prevention InterventionClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01953133.South African clinical trial registration number: DOH-27-0212-3937

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