Increasing HIV testing among male partners

• Published in: AIDS (London) Vol. 27; no. 7; pp. 1167 - 1177
• Main Authors: ORNE-GLIEMANN, Joanna, BALESTRE, Eric, DU LOU, Annabel Desgrees, DABIS, François, TCHENDJOU, Patrice, MIRIC, Marija, DARAK, Shrinivas, BUTSASHVILI, Maia, PEREZ-THEN, Eddy, EBOKO, Fred, PLAZY, Melanie, KULKARNI, Sanjeevani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 24.04.2013
• Subjects: Adult; Aggression; AIDS/HIV; Biological and medical sciences; Cameroon - epidemiology; Directive Counseling - statistics & numerical data; Dominican Republic - epidemiology; Female; Georgia (Republic) - epidemiology; HIV Seropositivity - diagnosis; HIV Seropositivity - psychology; HIV Seropositivity - transmission; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; India - epidemiology; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - prevention & control; Infectious diseases; Male; Mass Screening; Medical sciences; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - epidemiology; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - prevention & control; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - psychology; Prenatal Care; Primary Health Care; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual Partners - psychology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Dominican Republic; Cameroon; Georgia (Republic); India; Human; Immunopathology; testing; Retroviridae; Male; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; trial; Infection; Virus; counselling; HIV; Viral disease; Female; Human immunodeficiency virus; Woman; women
• ISSN: 0269-9370; 1473-5571
• DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e32835f1d8c

Couple-oriented posttest HIV counselling (COC) provides pregnant women with tools and strategies to invite her partner to HIV counselling and testing. We conducted a randomized trial of the efficacy of COC on partner HIV testing in low/medium HIV prevalence settings (Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Georgia, India). Pregnant women were randomized to receive standard posttest HIV counselling or COC and followed until 6 months postpartum. Partner HIV testing events were notified by site laboratories, self-reported by women or both combined. Impact of COC on partner HIV testing was measured in intention-to-treat analysis. Socio-behavioural factors associated with partner HIV testing were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Among 1943 pregnant women enrolled, partner HIV testing rates (combined indicator) were 24.7% among women from COC group versus 14.3% in standard posttest HIV counselling group in Cameroon [odds ratio (OR) = 2.0 95% CI (1.2-3.1)], 23.1 versus 20.3% in Dominican Republic [OR = 1.2 (0.8-1.8)], 26.8 versus 1.2% in Georgia [OR = 29.6 (9.1-95.6)] and 35.4 versus 26.6% in India [OR = 1.5 (1.0-2.2)]. Women having received COC did not report more conjugal violence or union break-ups than in the standard posttest HIV counselling group. The main factors associated with partner HIV testing were a history of HIV testing among men in Cameroon, Dominican Republic and Georgia and the existence of couple communication around HIV testing in Georgia and India. A simple prenatal intervention taking into account the couple relationship increases the uptake of HIV testing among men in different socio-cultural settings. COC could contribute to the efforts towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.