Partner involvement in perinatal care and PMTCT services in Mbeya Region, Tanzania: the providers' perspective

• Published in: AIDS care Vol. 22; no. 12; pp. 1562 - 1568
• Main Authors: Theuring, Stefanie, Nchimbi, Philo, Jordan-Harder, Brigitte, Harms, Gundel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.2010; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Antenatal care; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; Disease prevention; Disease transmission; Effectiveness; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gynecology and obstetrics; Health care; Health services; Health staff related problems. Vocational training; Health status; HIV; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV Infections - transmission; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - prevention & control; Interviews; Male; male involvement; Maternal & child health; Medical sciences; Men; Middle Aged; partner involvement; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Perinatal Care; PMTCT; Practice Guidelines as Topic; provider's attitudes; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Questionnaires; Reproductive health; Selfassessment; Sex Factors; Sexual health; Sexual Partners - psychology; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tanzania; Young Adult; Africa; Tanzania; Human; Social environment; Immunopathology; provider's attitudes; PMTCT; Attitude; Health staff; Mental health; Tanzania; Perinatal; AIDS; Health service; Immune deficiency; partner involvement; Infection; Prevention; Spouse; Viral disease; male involvement; Young adult; Adult; Public health
• ISSN: 0954-0121; 1360-0451
• DOI: 10.1080/09540121003758572

Partner involvement is considered to increase the effectiveness of female-oriented services for sexual and reproductive health (SRH), like those for antenatal care (ANC) or the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). However, male participation rates remain mostly low, and previous research has identified restrictive provider attitudes among barriers for partner participation in such services. Individual perspectives and experiences of healthcare providers are assumed to significantly influence the quality of delivered services. This study aimed at exploring providers' attitudes regarding partner involvement in ANC/PMTCT and other SRH services. A hundred interviews based on a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted among healthcare providers employed in an ANC-based PMTCT program in Mbeya Region, Tanzania. Interviewees expressed overall approval of male partner integration into the services, but this approval decreased when specifying for different service types, especially in those related to perinatal examinations or labor and delivery. Divergence between general attitudes and self-reported individual behavior was observed, querying the reliability of expressed attitudes. Among providers having at least one child, personally experienced partner attendance and approval of partner involvement were significantly associated for most service types. Although general views on partner involvement in SRH services seem to be mostly supportive, there is a need for health services to strengthen providers' positions toward male involvement, for example by communicating clear policies and job guidelines, and by encouraging partner service attendance among providers themselves.