Factors contributing to the low uptake of medical male circumcision in Mutare Rural District, Zimbabwe

Chiringa, Irene O.; Ramathuba, Dorah U.; Mashau, Ntsieni S.

doi:10.4102/phcfm.v8i2.966

Cited by 20 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…[24] Similar to the Onandjokwe district, the Mutare community is also considered to be noncircumcising. The findings from studies in traditionally uncircumcised societies in South Africa and Zimbabwe show no significant differences with regard to circumcision status and employment, relationship status, level of education or religion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of male circumcision for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention among voluntary counselling and testing clients in a centre in northern Namibia

Ngodji

Rebert

Igumbor

et al. 2017

IJH

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Background: There is compelling evidence that male circumcision (MC) is associated with reduced risk of contracting HIV. For this reason, MC is recommended for countries like Namibia where HIV prevalence is high and MC rates are low. Following this recommendation, a national MC campaign was considered to introduce MC as an additional HIV prevention strategy with the intention of rolling it out in communities where MC is not traditionally practised and where heterosexually transmitted HIV infection rates are high. Little is known about the acceptability of MC in traditionally non-circumcising communities in Northern Namibia. Objective: This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of MC among men presenting for voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) in a traditionally non-circumcising ethnic group in the northern Namibia. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 331 Oshiwambo-speaking males aged 18 years and older, presenting for VCT services. Data was analysed using Epi-Info 2008, Version 3.5.1. Results: The self-reported prevalence of MC in the study sample was 15.4%, with 38% of those reporting being circumcised during their childhood (1-13 years) and 44% being circumcised for health-related reasons. Most respondents (n = 241, 74.4%) had heard that MC reduces the men's risk of HIV infection. Up to 53.1% of the respondents had good knowledge regarding MC; moreover, the majority of the respondents (n = 194, 66.6%) reported that it is easier for uncircumcised men to acquire HIV infection. It was found that men aged 25 to 34 years were more willing to be circumcised than the other age groups. Conclusions: A high level of knowledge of MC was revealed. Accordingly, the idea of MC is likely to be accepted, especially if it is implemented to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of male circumcision for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention among voluntary counselling and testing clients in a centre in northern Namibia

Ngodji

Rebert

Igumbor

et al. 2017

IJH

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“…The VMMC uptake has been shown to be affected by several factors and challenges. Studies of the uptake of VMMC in Tanzania and Zimbabwe (Chiringa et al, 2016;Plotkin et al, 2013) respectively, as well as in Malawi (NAC, 2015) established that social and cultural factors, as well as physical pain, were barriers to the uptake of VMMC while the perceived benefits (including improved sex life, hygiene and protection from HIV) were facilitators. A study conducted in Kenya and other countries such as South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe found that barriers to VMMC uptake included increased burden on clinics, long waits for care, misleading mobilisation, low client follow-up rates, and inconsistent messaging among others (Gilbertson et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Communication-related factors influencing the uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision among men in Lilongwe Urban, Malawi

2021

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Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) has been promoted as an effective biomedical intervention in the reduction of the risk of new HIV and STI infections. The government of Malawi and its stakeholders including the World Health Organization have committed a lot of resources to VMMC programming. However, research shows that its uptake among men is still low in Malawi. This study, therefore, investigated the communication-related factors that influence decision-making in the uptake of VMMC among men in Lilongwe, Malawi. To achieve this aim, twenty-five men, aged between 18 and 35 years old were interviewed on what influenced them to undergo VMMC. The study found that the respondents were influenced to uptake VMMC mostly by peer pressure and the need for conformity; partner/girlfriend demand and considerations; and advice from health personnel. The paper concludes that although the final decision was theirs to make, the men in the study underwent circumcision under duress and/or coercion. It cannot be said to be voluntary. The medical necessity of VMMC can be said to be voluntary if it is negotiated and consented to without duress. Although the ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr Peter Mhagama is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Language and Communication at the Polytechnic, a constituent of the University of Malawi. He holds a PhD in Media and Communication obtained in 2015 from the University of Leicester in the UK. His research interests include Media and Development; Communication for Development; Social and Behaviour Change Communication; Citizen Participation and Empowerment; Political Economy of Communication; Media Freedom; and Audience Studies. The research reported in the paper is part of the ongoing research being conducted in the department in the area of Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC). The paper is based on the work of my Master's student, Patrick Makono, whom I have co-authored with. PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC) is one of the effective strategies for reducing new HIV/AIDS infections. The WHO and UNAIDS recommended the inclusion of male circumcision in HIV-prevention guidelines in countries in Southern Africa, including Malawi, with low circumcision rates and generalized epidemics. VMMC in Malawi was launched in 2012 with the government aiming to achieve 80% coverage among men aged 10-34 by 2020. Considering that there are more barriers than enablers of circumcision, this target of circumcising 80% of the eligible men was quite ambitious. The barriers include social and cultural factors and physical pain, whereas the benefits include improved sex, hygiene, and protection from HIV. However, when the VMMC campaign was scaled up across the country, uptake remained relatively low. It was from this background that the researchers examined the communication-related factors that influence men to uptake VMMC. The findings reported in this paper are part of ongoing studies in Behaviour Change communication being carried out by the department.

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“…Male circumcision in the general population is still suboptimal, with 18% and 12% of urban and rural men aged 15-49 years reporting having been circumcised [2], respectively. Low uptake of male circumcision in Zimbabwe has been linked to several factors, including fear of pain, fear of poor wound healing, knowledge gaps regarding male medical circumcision, and cultural beliefs and practices [81,82].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban-rural disparity in sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behaviors of HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women and their perspectives on their male sexual partners: A cross-sectional study in Zimbabwe

et al. 2020

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We conducted a cross sectional survey in Zimbabwe to describe urban-rural disparity in socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors of HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and their male sexual partners. Between September and November 2016, we interviewed 360 sexually active HIV positive AGYW, aged 15-24 years attending ART and PMTCT clinics in urban and rural health facilities in Harare and Mazowe district respectively. HIV positive AGYW in rural areas as compared to those in urban areas were older, less educated, more frequently married or cohabiting, had lower number of male sexual partners in their lifetime and in the last 12 months preceding the survey. They were mostly heterosexually infected, more likely to disclose their status to a family member and to be more adherent to ART (OR = 2.5-95% CI = 1.1-5.5). Most recent male sexual partners of HIV positive AGYW in urban areas as compared to those from rural areas were mainly current or former boyfriends, single, more educated, less likely to have a child with them and to engage in couple voluntary counseling and testing (CVCT). They were more likely to patronize dancing and drinking venues and involved in transactional sex (OR = 2.2-95% CI: 1.2-4). They were also more likely to be circumcised (OR = 2.3-95% CI: 1.3-4.1) and to use condom more consistently in the last 12 months preceding the survey. Our study findings called for the strengthening of HIV prevention interventions in urban areas among HIV positive AGYW who had more than one partner in their lifetime or are patronizing dancing and drinking venues. In Zimbabwe, promotion of CVCT, index testing, male circumcision and condom use should be sustained to engage male sexual partners of both urban and rural HIV positive AGYW in HIV prevention.

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Factors contributing to the low uptake of medical male circumcision in Mutare Rural District, Zimbabwe

Cited by 20 publications

References 23 publications

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of male circumcision for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention among voluntary counselling and testing clients in a centre in northern Namibia

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of male circumcision for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention among voluntary counselling and testing clients in a centre in northern Namibia

Communication-related factors influencing the uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision among men in Lilongwe Urban, Malawi

Urban-rural disparity in sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behaviors of HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women and their perspectives on their male sexual partners: A cross-sectional study in Zimbabwe

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