Prevention remains a key intervention for mitigating the HIV/AIDS epidemic, even in the era of anti-retroviral treatments. To achieve this prevention involvement of male partner is crucial. The efficacy of a simple intervention contributing to improve couple HIV counseling and testing in the context of PMTCT, within different programmatic and socio-cultural contexts, has not been assessed to date.

Objectives:

To investigate the feasibility and impact of a couple-oriented prenatal HIV counselling session on the incidence of

• partner HIV testing and
• couple HIV counselling and
• on the improvement of attitudes and behaviours related to sexual and reproductive health and
• the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV

Type of research: Randomized control trial During the feasibility phase of the study, the acceptability of the intervention among women and the health staff was assessed which contributed to defining an intervention adapted to the local operational and socio-cultural context. Within the intervention trial, women attending prenatal care were randomized to receive either standard prenatal HIV counseling only, or standard and couple-oriented HIV counseling. Willing partners were also recruited in a partner sub-study towards the end of the trial to get men’s perspective. Standardized quantitative questionnaires were administered at inclusion, six months and 15 months post-partum.

Investigators: Dr Shrinivas Darak (Pune site principal investigator) 

Funding: This study was supported by ANRS (agence nationale de recherches sur le SIDA) and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) and is being carried out in collaboration with ISPED, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux, France

Start date: 2007

End date: 2012