MALE INVOLVEMENT IN PREVENTION OF MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN ENEBSIE SARMIDER DISTRICT, EAST GOJJAM ZONE, NORTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Involvement of males in prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV is one of the challenge in majority of developing countries including Ethiopia. This result a lot of pregnant women were shunning HIV testing because they had no consent from their husbands and increase maternal to child transmission of HIV. Even though studies identified different factors and implementation programme was done at community level in Ethiopia, the identified factors were not consistent and no study done in the study area. Objective: To assess male involvement in prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and associated factors among males whose wife gave birth in the last six months in Enebsiesarmider district, Eastern Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. Methods: A Community-based cross-sectional study was employed on a total of 525 males by using cluster sampling method from February 10- 30, 2018. The collected data were entered into Epi-data 4.2.0.0 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Science version 24 for analysis. Univariable analysis and bivariable analysis were used to describe the characteristics of participants and to see the association between independent variable and the outcome variable respectively. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was estimated to identify factors associated with male involvement using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Result: Overall male involvement in PMTCT was found to be 26.1% [(95% CI: 22.1-29.5)]. Attending secondary education and above [(AOR=2.45, 95%CI: 1.47-4.11)], knowledge on PMTCT[(AOR=2.57, 95% CI: 1.58-4.18)], knowledge on ANC[(AOR=2.10, 95%CI: 1.28- 3.44)], cultural barriers [(AOR=2.20, 95%CI: 1.34-3.63)] and programmatic barriers [(AOR=2.40, 95%CI: 1.37- 4.20)] were statistically associated with male involvement in prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV. Conclusion and Recommendation: The result of this study revealed that male involvement in PMTCT was low in the study area. Educational level, knowledge on PMTCT and ANC, cultural and programmatic barriers were significantly associated with male involvement in PMCT. Therefore, much work is needed to engage males with PMTCT services by providing males centered care.