Couple Oriented Counselling Improves Male Partner Involvement in Sexual and Reproductive Health of a Couple: Evidence from the ANRS PRENAHTEST Randomized Trial

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2021 Jul 30

PMID 34329355

Citations 1

Authors

Cyprien Kengne-Nde

Mathurin Cyrille Tejiokem

Joanna Orne-Gliemann

Bernard Melingui

Paul Koki Ndombo

Ngo A Essounga

Anne Cecile Bissek

Simon Cauchemez

Patrice T Tchendjou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Male partner involvement (MPI) has been recognized as a priority area to be strengthened in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. We explored the impact of Couple Oriented Counselling (COC) in MPI in sexual and reproductive health and associated factors.

Method: From February 2009 to October 2011, pregnant women were enrolled at their first antenatal care visit (ANC-1) and followed up until 6 months after delivery in the Mother and Child Center of the Chantal Biya Foundation within the randomized prenahtest multicentric trial. The MPI index was defined using sexual and reproductive health behaviour variables by using multiple correspondence analysis followed by mixed classification. Men were considered as highly involved if they had shared their HIV test results with their partner, had discussed on HIV or condom used, had contributed financially to ANC, had accompanied their wife to ANC or had practiced safe sex. Factors associated to MPI were investigated by the logistic model with GEE estimation approach.

Results: A total of 484 pregnant women were enrolled. The median age of the women was 27 years (IQR: 23-31) and 55.23% had a gestational age greater than 16 weeks at ANC-1. Among them, HIV prevalence was 11.9% (95% CI: 9.0-15.4). The median duration of the women's relationship with their partner was 84 months (IQR: 48-120). MPI index at 6 months after delivery was significantly greater in the COC group than the classical counselling group (14.8% vs 8,82%; p = 0,043; Fig 1). The partners of the women who participated in the COC were more likely to be involved during follow up than others (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.00-2.10). Partners with no incoming activity (aOR = 2.90; 95% CI = 1.96-4.29), who did not used violence within the couple (aOR = 1.70; 95% CI = 1.07-2.68), and whose partner came early for ANC-1 (aOR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.00-1.89) were more likely to be involved than others.

Conclusion: MPI remains low in stable couples and COC improves partner involvement. Our findings also support the need of strengthening outreach towards "stable" couples and addressing barriers. This could go a long way to improve PMTCT outcomes in Cameroon.

Trial Registration: PRENAHTEST, NCT01494961. Registered 15 December 2011-Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01494961.

Citing Articles

How to Engage Men in Preconception Health?: A Scoping Review.

Agustina S, Prabandari Y, Hakimi M, Hayati E Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2025; 29(6):660-668.

PMID: 39759910 PMC: 11694592. DOI: 10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_27_23.

References

Dunkle K, Stephenson R, Karita E, Chomba E, Kayitenkore K, Vwalika C . New heterosexually transmitted HIV infections in married or cohabiting couples in urban Zambia and Rwanda: an analysis of survey and clinical data. Lancet. 2008; 371(9631):2183-91. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60953-8. View

Peltzer K, Mosala T, Dana P, Fomundam H . Follow-up survey of women who have undergone a prevention of mother-to-child transmission program in a resource-poor setting in South Africa. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2008; 19(6):450-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.jana.2008.05.006. View

Morfaw F, Mbuagbaw L, Thabane L, Rodrigues C, Wunderlich A, Nana P . Male involvement in prevention programs of mother to child transmission of HIV: a systematic review to identify barriers and facilitators. Syst Rev. 2013; 2:5. PMC: 3599633. DOI: 10.1186/2046-4053-2-5. View

Anoubissi J, Gabriel E, Kengne Nde C, Fokam J, Tseuko D, Messeh A . Factors associated with risk of HIV-infection among pregnant women in Cameroon: Evidence from the 2016 national sentinel surveillance survey of HIV and syphilis. PLoS One. 2019; 14(4):e0208963. PMC: 6461244. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208963. View

Nyondo A, Muula A, Chimwaza A . Assessment of strategies for male involvement in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services in Blantyre, Malawi. Glob Health Action. 2013; 6:22780. PMC: 3866839. DOI: 10.3402/gha.v6i0.22780. View

Msuya S, Mbizvo E, Hussain A, Uriyo J, Sam N, Stray-Pedersen B . Low male partner participation in antenatal HIV counselling and testing in northern Tanzania: implications for preventive programs. AIDS Care. 2008; 20(6):700-9. DOI: 10.1080/09540120701687059. View

Farquhar C, Kiarie J, Richardson B, Kabura M, John F, Nduati R . Antenatal couple counseling increases uptake of interventions to prevent HIV-1 transmission. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2004; 37(5):1620-6. PMC: 3384734. DOI: 10.1097/00126334-200412150-00016. View

Alhusen J, Ray E, Sharps P, Bullock L . Intimate partner violence during pregnancy: maternal and neonatal outcomes. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2014; 24(1):100-6. PMC: 4361157. DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2014.4872. View

Desgrees-du-Lou A, Brou H, Djohan G, Becquet R, Ekouevi D, Zanou B . Beneficial effects of offering prenatal HIV counselling and testing on developing a HIV preventive attitude among couples. Abidjan, 2002-2005. AIDS Behav. 2007; 13(2):348-55. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-007-9316-6. View

10.

Maman S, Mbwambo J, Hogan N, Kilonzo G, Sweat M . Women's barriers to HIV-1 testing and disclosure: challenges for HIV-1 voluntary counselling and testing. AIDS Care. 2001; 13(5):595-603. DOI: 10.1080/09540120120063223. View

11.

Orne-Gliemann J, Tchendjou P, Miric M, Gadgil M, Butsashvili M, Eboko F . Couple-oriented prenatal HIV counseling for HIV primary prevention: an acceptability study. BMC Public Health. 2010; 10:197. PMC: 2873579. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-197. View

12.

Aluisio A, Richardson B, Bosire R, John-Stewart G, Mbori-Ngacha D, Farquhar C . Male antenatal attendance and HIV testing are associated with decreased infant HIV infection and increased HIV-free survival. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2010; 56(1):76-82. PMC: 3005193. DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3181fdb4c4. View

13.

Muloongo H, Sitali D, Zulu J, Hazemba A, Mweemba O . Men's perspectives on male participation in antenatal care with their pregnant wives: a case of a military hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019; 19(1):463. PMC: 6615158. DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-4294-8. View

14.

Msuya S, Mbizvo E, Hussain A, Uriyo J, Sam N, Stray-Pedersen B . HIV among pregnant women in Moshi Tanzania: the role of sexual behavior, male partner characteristics and sexually transmitted infections. AIDS Res Ther. 2006; 3:27. PMC: 1626477. DOI: 10.1186/1742-6405-3-27. View

15.

Orne-Gliemann J, Balestre E, Tchendjou P, Miric M, Darak S, Butsashvili M . Increasing HIV testing among male partners. AIDS. 2013; 27(7):1167-77. DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e32835f1d8c. View

16.

Wang T, Liu Y, Li Z, Liu K, Xu Y, Shi W . Prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2017; 12(10):e0175108. PMC: 5624577. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175108. View

17.

Byamugisha R, Tumwine J, Semiyaga N, Tylleskar T . Determinants of male involvement in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programme in Eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional survey. Reprod Health. 2010; 7:12. PMC: 2913932. DOI: 10.1186/1742-4755-7-12. View

18.

Traore A, Querre M, Brou H, Leroy V, Desclaux A, Desgrees-du-Lou A . Couples, PMTCT programs and infant feeding decision-making in Ivory Coast. Soc Sci Med. 2009; 69(6):830-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.06.001. View

19.

Kassa M, Abajobir A, Gedefaw M . Level of male involvement and associated factors in family planning services utilization among married men in Debremarkos town, Northwest Ethiopia. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2014; 14:33. PMC: 4268790. DOI: 10.1186/s12914-014-0033-8. View

20.

Plazy M, Orne-Gliemann J, Balestre E, Miric M, Darak S, Butsashvili M . [Enhanced prenatal HIV couple oriented counselling session and couple communication about HIV (ANRS 12127 Prenahtest Trial)]. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique. 2013; 61(4):319-27. DOI: 10.1016/j.respe.2013.02.013. View