"After my husband's circumcision, I know that I am safe from diseases": women's attitudes and risk perceptions towards male circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania

While male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission and certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there is little evidence that circumcision provides women with direct protection against HIV. This study used qualitative methods to assess women's perceptions of male...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-08, Vol.8 (8), p.e74391
Main Authors: Layer, Erica H, Beckham, S. Wilson, Mgeni, Lilian, Shembilu, Catherine, Momburi, Romani B, Kennedy, Caitlin E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
AIDS
Circumcision
Circumcision, Male
Disease transmission
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health risk assessment
Health risks
HIV
HIV Infections - prevention & control
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Male
Males
Men
Norms
Qualitative Research
Risk perception
Sexual Behavior
Sexual intercourse
Sexually transmitted diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - prevention & control
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - transmission
Social Adjustment
Spouses - psychology
STD
Studies
Tanzania
Womens health
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Summary:While male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission and certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there is little evidence that circumcision provides women with direct protection against HIV. This study used qualitative methods to assess women's perceptions of male circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania. Women in this study had strong preferences for circumcised men because of the low risk perception of HIV with circumcised men, social norms favoring circumcised men, and perceived increased sexual desirability of circumcised men. The health benefits of male circumcision were generally overstated; many respondents falsely believed that women are also directly protected against HIV and that the risk of all STIs is greatly reduced or eliminated in circumcised men. Efforts to engage women about the risks and limitations of male circumcision, in addition to the benefits, should be expanded so that women can accurately assess their risk of HIV or STIs during sexual intercourse with circumcised men.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0074391