Acceptability of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) among Male Sexually Transmitted Diseases Patients (MSTDP) in China

Voluntary Medical Male circumcision (VMMC) is an evidence-based, yet under-utilized biomedical HIV intervention in China. No study has investigated acceptability of VMMC among male sexually transmitted diseases patients (MSTDP) who are at high risk of HIV transmission. 

A cross-sectional survey interviewed 350 HIV negative heterosexual MSTDP in Shenzhen, China; 12.0% (n = 42) of them were circumcised at the time of survey. When the uncircumcised participants (n = 308) were informed that VMMC could reduce the risk of HIV infection via heterosexual intercourse by 50%, the prevalence of acceptability of VMMC in the next six months was 46.1%. Adjusted for significant background variables, significant factors of acceptability of VMMC included: 

1. emotional variables: the Emotional Representation Subscale
2. cognitive variables derived from Health Belief Model (HBM): 
1. perceived some chance of having sex with HIV positive women in the next 12 months (perceived susceptibility), 
2. perceived severity of STD infection, 
3. perceived benefit of VMMC in risk reduction and sexual performance, 
4. perceived barriers against taking up VMMC, and 
5. perceived cue to action and self-efficacy related to taking up VMMC. 

The association between perceived severity of STD infection and acceptability was fully mediated by emotional representation of STD infection. 

The relatively low prevalence of circumcision and high acceptability suggested that the situation was favorable for implementing VMMC as a means of HIV intervention among MSTDP in China. HBM is a potential suitable framework to guide the design of future VMMC promotion. 

Future implementation programs should be conducted in STD clinic settings, taking the important findings of this study into account.

Full article at:  http://goo.gl/HkI1lS

By:  

Xixin Wang, Joseph T. F. Lau, Yoona Kim 
Centre for Health Behaviours Research, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Zixin Wang, Joseph T. F. Lau 

Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China

Tiejian Feng 

Shenzhen Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen, China

Joseph T. F. Lau 

Centre for Medical Anthropology and Behavioral Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

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