Ediau Michael, Brodine Stephanie, Brouwer Kimberly C, Raj Anita, Oren Eyal, Kiene Susan M
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Aug 18;25(1):1099. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-13330-3.
BACKGROUND: Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) remains one of the recommended HIV prevention measures in heterosexual men in selected countries, including Uganda. While most VMMCs are on adolescent and adult males, its longer-term potential population-level impact might be realized through the inclusion of early infant male circumcision (EIMC). However, EIMC's successful rollout requires understanding the perspectives of health workers, health system-level facilitators, and barriers to EIMC. Following EIMC pilot/project implementation, we explored health workers' individual-level perspectives on, and health system-level facilitators and barriers (to EIMC) in a traditionally non-circumcising setting in Northeastern Uganda. METHODS: In April 2022, we conducted a qualitative study involving 26 in-depth interviews. Participants included seven health workers who participated in EIMC and seven who did not, two heads of hospitals that conducted EIMC, and six District health officials, four representatives of national-level partners who supported EIMC implementation in the study area. Data were coded and analyzed using inductive (for individual-level perspectives) and deductive (for health system-level barriers and facilitators) thematic analyses. RESULTS: Health workers who had participated in EIMC reported its comparative advantages, including performance simplicity, faster wound healing, and relatively lower cost. Some health workers who had not participated in EIMC expressed concerns regarding the safety of the procedure and the potential associated pain. Health system-related facilitators for EIMC included leadership support and availability of funding and supplies for initial implementation and health workers' capacity building through EIMC training. This support was limited to the project's period and later ended. Therefore, barriers to EIMC implementation, including a lack of supplies and funding, were reported. CONCLUSION: EIMC was perceived as a comparatively beneficial intervention for possible HIV prevention because, compared to VMMC, it is technically simpler, safer, potentially low-cost, and wound healing is faster. Nevertheless, some health workers raised concerns about EIMC. Leadership support, funding, health workers' EIMC training, equipment, and supplies availability facilitated EIMC. Some facilitators were short-lived as a lack of continued funding and supplies stock-outs were major EIMC barriers. Successful implementation requires sustained EIMC financing and addressing the concerns of some health workers, in addition to the identified health system-related barriers.
背景:在包括乌干达在内的一些国家,自愿男性医学包皮环切术(VMMC)仍是推荐用于异性恋男性的艾滋病毒预防措施之一。虽然大多数VMMC手术针对的是青少年和成年男性,但通过纳入早期婴儿男性包皮环切术(EIMC),可能会在更长期实现其对人群层面的潜在影响。然而,EIMC的成功推广需要了解卫生工作者、卫生系统层面的促进因素以及EIMC面临的障碍。在EIMC试点/项目实施之后,我们在乌干达东北部一个传统上不进行包皮环切术的地区,探讨了卫生工作者个人层面的看法以及卫生系统层面(对EIMC)的促进因素和障碍。 方法:2022年4月,我们开展了一项定性研究,进行了26次深入访谈。参与者包括7名参与过EIMC的卫生工作者、7名未参与过的卫生工作者、两家实施EIMC的医院院长、6名地区卫生官员以及4名在研究地区支持EIMC实施的国家级合作伙伴代表。使用归纳法(针对个人层面的看法)和演绎法(针对卫生系统层面的障碍和促进因素)进行主题分析,对数据进行编码和分析。 结果:参与过EIMC的卫生工作者报告了其相对优势,包括操作简单、伤口愈合快以及成本相对较低。一些未参与过EIMC的卫生工作者对该手术的安全性和潜在相关疼痛表示担忧。EIMC在卫生系统方面的促进因素包括领导支持、初期实施所需资金和物资的可获得性,以及通过EIMC培训对卫生工作者进行能力建设。这种支持仅限于项目期间,后来就结束了。因此,报告了EIMC实施面临的障碍,包括物资和资金短缺。 结论:EIMC被认为是一种对预防艾滋病毒可能比较有益的干预措施,因为与VMMC相比,它在技术上更简单、更安全、成本可能更低,且伤口愈合更快。然而,一些卫生工作者对EIMC提出了担忧。领导支持、资金、卫生工作者的EIMC培训、设备和物资的可获得性促进了EIMC的开展。由于缺乏持续资金和物资短缺是EIMC的主要障碍,一些促进因素是短暂的。除了已确定的与卫生系统相关的障碍外,成功实施EIMC需要持续的资金支持并解决一些卫生工作者的担忧。
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