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Study Summary: Increasing Male Partner Involvement in Antenatal Care
Background
HIV partner counselling and testing in antenatal care (ANC) is important, but male involvement in ANC is low in many places like Tanzania. This study aimed to see if using mobile phone interventions could increase male partner attendance for HIV testing in Moshi municipal, Tanzania.
Methods
- Between April and July 2022, pregnant women at two health facilities were randomly assigned to invite their male partners either through phone calls, text messages, and verbal invites (intervention arm) or only through verbal invites (control arm).
- The primary outcome measured was the proportion of male partners who attended ANC with their pregnant partners during two consecutive visits. The secondary outcome was HIV testing among male partners.
Results
- 350 pregnant women were enrolled, with 175 in each arm.
- 83.4% of male partners attended ANC in the intervention arm, compared to 46.3% in the control arm.
- 99.3% of male partners accepted HIV counselling and testing in the intervention arm, compared to 93.8% in the control arm.
Conclusion
Using mobile phone calls and text messages significantly increased male partner ANC attendance and HIV testing. This combined approach is recommended for improving ANC attendance and HIV testing of male partners who do not accompany their pregnant partners to antenatal clinics in the first visits.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: PACTR202209769991162
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