Orne-Gliemann J., Balestre E., Tchendjou P., Miric M., Darak S., Butsashvili M., Perez-Then, E., Eboko, F., Plazy, M., Kulkarni S., Desgrées du Loû, A., & Dabis, F. (2013). Increasing HIV testing among male partners. The Prenahtest ANRS 12127 multi-country randomised  trial, AIDS (London, England), 27. https://doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0b013e32835f1d8c

ABSTRACT

Couple-oriented post-test HIV counselling (COC) provides pregnant women with tools and strategies to invite her partner to HIV counselling and testing. We conducted a randomised trial of the efficacy of COC on partner HIV testing in low/medium HIV prevalence settings (Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Georgia, India). METHODS:: Pregnant women were randomised to receive standard post-test HIV counselling (SC) or COC and followed until six months postpartum. Partner HIV testing events were notified by site laboratories, self-reported by women or both combined. Impact of COC on partner HIV testing was measured in intention-to-treat analysis. Socio-behavioural factors associated with partner HIV testing were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS:: Among 1943 pregnant women enrolled, partner HIV testing rates (combined indicator) were 24.7% among women from COC group vs 14.3% in SC group in Cameroon (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.0 95%CI [1.2-3.1]), 23.1% vs 20.3% in Dominican Republic (OR = 1.2 [0.8-1.8]), 26.8% vs 1.2% in Georgia (OR = 29.6 [9.1-95.6]) and 35.4% vs 26.6% in India (OR = 1.5 [1.0-2.2]). Women having received COC did not report more conjugal violence or union break-ups than in the SC group. The main factors associated with partner HIV testing were a history of HIV testing among men in Cameroon, Dominican Republic and Georgia and the existence of couple communication around HIV testing in Georgia and India. CONCLUSION:: A simple prenatal intervention taking into account the couple relationship increases the uptake of HIV testing among men in different socio-cultural settings. COC could contribute to the efforts towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV.