186847 Women's perceived barriers to spousal involvement in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission programs in western Kenya

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Ariane Hollub , Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Michael Reece, PhD, MPH , Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Andreia Alexander , Applied Health Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Erick Amick , Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Mallory Metzger , Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Background: Male spousal involvement in HIV-related Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (pMTCT) programs is essential to supporting family health and adherence to HIV treatment and prevention regimens. This study examined reasons for men's involvement in the pMTCT programs of a comprehensive HIV-related prevention and treatment program in a rural area of western Kenya.

Methods: Data were collected from 71 women during eight focus groups conducted with women who were enrolled in a pMTCT program at one of four HIV-related clinics in geographically diverse areas of western Kenya. Focus group discussions focused on women's perceptions of the factors that facilitated and challenged their ability to engage their male spouses in the interventions associated with the pMTCT programs. Data were analyzed using standard techniques for qualitative data analysis.

Results: Seven themes emerged from the analysis that women perceived as important factors related to engaging their spouses, including: work-related challenges, the role of spousal and familial relationships, outcomes related to child and parent well-being, HIV-related stigma, cultural and gender norms, HIV-related educational needs, and structural issues related to the clinics and program strategies.

Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights into the need for attending to the unique issues that women face when attempting to engage the family unit in pMTCT programs. These findings also offer valuable guidance to the development of recruitment and retention strategies that will help women engage their male spouses into pMTCT programs in a manner that is responsive to the unique cultural and gender norms in Kenyan society.

Learning Objectives:
1.) Identify factors that women perceive to be barriers to male involvement in pMTCT in Western Kenya. 2.) Discuss the importance of male spousal involvement in pMTCT programs in Western Kenya. 3.) Discuss strategies to overcome the different barriers.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Health Behavior Doctoral Student; M.Ed. in Health Education
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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