Systematic review of barriers and facilitators to voluntary medical male circumcision in priority countries and programmatic implications for service uptake

ABSTRACT

Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is an effective biomedical HIV prevention strategy. There is a need to identify key barriers and facilitators to VMMC uptake in priority countries to improve uptake. In this paper, we report findings from a systematic review of the barriers and facilitators of VMMC uptake, comparing them across countries in order to provide programmers critical information to design effective VMMC uptake interventions. Our review followed PRISMA protocol. Twenty three articles from 10 of the 14 priority countries were included. The top three barriers cited were: MC negatively perceived as being practiced by other or foreign cultures and religions, fear of pain caused by the procedure, and perceptions of VMMC as not helpful/needed. The top four facilitators cited in most countries were: Belief that VMMC reduces health risks and improves hygiene, family and peer support of MC, and enhanced sexual performance and satisfaction. The barriers and facilitators highlighted in this paper can help inform programmatic strategies in these countries. More research is needed to ensure that all sub-populations are being adequately reached. By applying this information to new research and programming, these countries can achieve greater VMMC uptake – and thus reductions in HIV transmission and prevalence.

KEYWORDS:

• VMMC uptake
• sub-Saharan Africa
• VMMC barriers
• VMMC facilitators
• HIV prevention

Acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge Ms. Kim Seifert-Ahanda and Elizabeth Gold for reviewing and providing comments on earlier drafts of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Maria A. Carrasco http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7053-2462