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Morris BJ, Banerjee J. Comment on 'Changing relationships between HIV prevalence and circumcision in Lesotho', and 'Age-incidence and prevalence of HIV among intact and circumcised men: an analysis of PHIA surveys in Southern Africa'. J Biosoc Sci 2024:1-4. [PMID: 38766849 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932024000208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Two articles by Garenne (2023a,b) argue that voluntary medical male circumcision does not reduce human immunodeficiency virus transmission in Africa. Here we point out key evidence and analytical flaws that call into question this conclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Morris
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Perkins JM, Kakuhikire B, Baguma C, Jeon S, Walker SF, Dongre R, Kyokunda V, Juliet M, Satinsky EN, Comfort AB, Siedner MJ, Ashaba S, Tsai AC. Male circumcision uptake and misperceived norms about male circumcision: Cross-sectional, population-based study in rural Uganda. J Glob Health 2023; 13:04149. [PMID: 38112224 PMCID: PMC10731132 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.04149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Over the past decade, 15 high-priority countries in eastern and southern Africa have promoted voluntary medical male circumcision for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention. The prevalence of male circumcision in Uganda nearly doubled from 26% in 2011 to 43% in 2016, but remains below the 2020 target level. Little is known about how common male circumcision is perceived to be, how accurate such perceptions are, and whether they are associated with men's own circumcision uptake. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of all adult residents of eight villages in Rwampara District, southwestern Uganda in 2020-2022. We elicited their perceptions of the adult male circumcision prevalence within their village: >50% (most men), 10% to <50% (some), <10%, (few to none), or do not know. We compared their perceived norms to the aggregated prevalence of circumcision reported in these villages. We used a modified multivariable Poisson regression model to estimate the association between perceived norms and personal circumcision uptake among men. Results We surveyed 1566 participants (91% response rate): 698 men and 868 women. Among the men, 167 (27%) reported being circumcised, including 167/444 (38%) men <50 years of age. Approximately one-fourth of the population (189 (27%) men and 177 (20%) women) believed that few to no men in their own village had been circumcised. In a multivariable regression model, men who underestimated the prevalence of male circumcision were less likely to be circumcised themselves (adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.37-0.83). Conclusions In this population-based study in rural Uganda, one-fourth of men underestimated the prevalence of male circumcision. Men who underestimated the extent of circumcision uptake were themselves less likely to be circumcised. If the observed association is causal and underestimates within the population contribute to low uptake, then interventions correcting these misperceived norms could increase uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Perkins
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Charles Baguma
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Sehee Jeon
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sarah F Walker
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rohit Dongre
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Viola Kyokunda
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Mercy Juliet
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Emily N Satinsky
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alison B Comfort
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California, San Franciso, California, USA
| | - Mark J Siedner
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Alexander C Tsai
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Perkins JM, Kakuhikire B, Baguma C, Jeon S, Walker SF, Dongre R, Kyokunda V, Juliet M, Satinsky EN, Comfort AB, Siedner M, Ashaba S, Tsai AC. Perceived norms about male circumcision and personal circumcision status: a cross-sectional, population-based study in rural Uganda. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.04.24.23288996. [PMID: 37163008 PMCID: PMC10168507 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.24.23288996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Over the past decade, 15 high-priority countries in eastern and southern Africa have promoted voluntary medical male circucmsion for HIV and STI prevention. Despite male circumcision prevalence in Uganda nearly doubling from 26% in 2011 to 43% in 2016, it remained below the target level by 2020. Little is known about perceived norms of male circumcision and their association with circumcision uptake among men. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study targeting all adult residents across eight villages in Rwampara District, southwestern Uganda in 2020-2022. We compared what men and women reported as the adult male circumcision prevalence within their village (perceived norm: >50% (most), 10% to <50% (some), <10%, (few), or do not know) to the aggregated prevalence of circumcision as reported by men aged <50 years. We used a modified multivariable Poisson regression model to estimate the association between perceived norms about male circumcision uptake and personal circumcision status among men. Results Overall, 167 (38%) men < 50 years old were circumcised (and 27% of all men were circumcised). Among all 1566 participants (91% response rate), 189 (27%) men and 177 (20%) women underestimated the male circumcision prevalence, thinking that few men in their own village had been circumcised. Additionally, 10% of men and 25% of women reported not knowing the prevalence. Men who underestimated the prevalence were less likely to be circumcised (aRR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.83) compared to those who thought that some village men were circumcised, adjusting for perceived personal risk of HIV, whether any same-household women thought most men were circumcised, and other sociodemographic factors. Conclusions Across eight villages, a quarter of the population underestimated the local prevalence of male circumcision. Men who underestimated circumcision uptake were less likely to be circumcised. Future research should evaluate norms-based approaches to promoting male circumcision uptake. Strategies may include disseminating messages about the increasing prevalence of adult male circumcision uptake in Uganda and providing personalized normative feedback to men who underestimated local rates about how uptake is greater than they thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M. Perkins
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Charles Baguma
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Sehee Jeon
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sarah F. Walker
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rohit Dongre
- Department of Human and Organizational Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Viola Kyokunda
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Mercy Juliet
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Emily N. Satinsky
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA USA
| | - Alison B. Comfort
- Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California, San Franciso, USA
| | - Mark Siedner
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA USA
| | | | - Alexander C. Tsai
- Center for Global Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA USA
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Abstract
The study investigates the complex relationships between circumcision and HIV prevalence in Lesotho, using Demographic and Health surveys (DHS) conducted in 2004, 2009 and 2014. Before the HIV epidemic, about half of the male adult population was circumcised as part of a traditional custom, and this proportion increased markedly after 2008 with the campaigns of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC), while HIV prevalence stayed at the same level. In 2004, HIV prevalence was higher in circumcised groups than in intact groups (RR=1.49, 95% CI=1.20-1.86). This relationship changed over time, and was inversed in 2014 (RR=0.86; 95% CI=0.70-1.06). The changing relationship seems to be due to an interaction with education, with more educated men being more circumcised and having less HIV over time. A multivariate analysis showed no net effect of circumcision on HIV, after controlling for wealth, education, and indicators of marriage and sexual behaviour. A small net effect of VMMC was found, probably due to condom use. In couple studies, the effect of circumcision and VMMC on HIV was not significant, with similar transmission from female to male and male to female. The study questions the amount of effort and money spent on VMMC in Lesotho.
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