Abstract
Neonatal male circumcision (NMC) is an uncommon procedure in Southern Africa, but is being scaled up in Zambia for long-term
HIV prevention. We conducted a cross-sectional survey on NMC with a convenience sample of mothers of newborn boys at two public
clinics in Lusaka. Following the survey, mothers received information on availability of NMC, and uptake of the service was
tracked. Predictors of uptake were assessed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Of the 1,249 eligible mothers
approached, 1000 (80 %) agreed to participate. Although 97 % of surveyed mothers said they definitely or probably planned
to have their newborn son circumcised, only 11 % of participants brought their newborn sons for NMC. Significant predictors
of uptake in adjusted models included: Older maternal age (AOR 3.77, 95 % CI 1.48–9.63 for age 36 and above compared to mothers
age 25 and below), having attended antenatal care at an NMC site (AOR 2.13, 95 % CI 1.32–3.44), older paternal age (AOR 4.36,
95 % CI 1.28–14.91 for age 26–35 compared to fathers age 25 and below), and the infant’s father being circumcised (AOR 2.21,
95 % CI 1.35–3.62). While acceptability studies in Southern Africa have suggested strong support for MC among parents for
having their sons circumcised, this may not translate to high uptake of newly-introduced NMC services.
HIV prevention. We conducted a cross-sectional survey on NMC with a convenience sample of mothers of newborn boys at two public
clinics in Lusaka. Following the survey, mothers received information on availability of NMC, and uptake of the service was
tracked. Predictors of uptake were assessed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Of the 1,249 eligible mothers
approached, 1000 (80 %) agreed to participate. Although 97 % of surveyed mothers said they definitely or probably planned
to have their newborn son circumcised, only 11 % of participants brought their newborn sons for NMC. Significant predictors
of uptake in adjusted models included: Older maternal age (AOR 3.77, 95 % CI 1.48–9.63 for age 36 and above compared to mothers
age 25 and below), having attended antenatal care at an NMC site (AOR 2.13, 95 % CI 1.32–3.44), older paternal age (AOR 4.36,
95 % CI 1.28–14.91 for age 26–35 compared to fathers age 25 and below), and the infant’s father being circumcised (AOR 2.21,
95 % CI 1.35–3.62). While acceptability studies in Southern Africa have suggested strong support for MC among parents for
having their sons circumcised, this may not translate to high uptake of newly-introduced NMC services.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Research
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s10461-012-0297-8
- Authors
- Emily Waters, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, CIDRZ, 5977 Benakale Road, Northmead, Lusaka, Zambia
- Michelle Li, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, CIDRZ, 5977 Benakale Road, Northmead, Lusaka, Zambia
- Bridget Mugisa, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, CIDRZ, 5977 Benakale Road, Northmead, Lusaka, Zambia
- Kasonde Bowa, School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- David Linyama, Department of Surgery, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia
- Elizabeth Stringer, Global Women’s Health Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Jeffrey Stringer, Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, CIDRZ, 5977 Benakale Road, Northmead, Lusaka, Zambia
- Journal AIDS and Behavior
- Online ISSN 1573-3254
- Print ISSN 1090-7165