‘If you are found taking medicine, you will be called names and considered less of a man’: young men’s engagement with HIV treatment and care during ulwaluko (traditional initiation and circumcision) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Figures & data

Table

Between the ages of 13 and 22^a which was the age range of Mzantsi Wakho study participants (who at baseline were between the ages of 10–19).

Self-identified as male.

Selection was organised by circumcision status, given its centrality to identities and meanings of boyhood and manhood in the study site. The study included participants who were inkwenkwe (uncircumcised boys) as well as indoda (circumcised men), and interviewed some participants before and after ulwaluko.

Living with HIV, and initiated onto ART.

When possible, participants were recruited who researchers had observed to be willing and engaged participants in Mzantsi Wakho. It is acknowledged that selecting participants who seemed to enjoy talking that this may have introduced bias into the selection of participations for this study, which is discussed further in the ‘limitations’ section.

Provided verbal and written informed and voluntary consent (18 or over), or if they were under the age of 18, provided verbal and written informed and voluntary assent alongside the verbal and written informed and voluntary consent of their legal guardian.

Table

Pseudonym	Age at first interview	Location	Traditional circumcision status^a
Unathi*	16 years	BCM, urban	Not circumcised
Ndoda	18 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Buja	19 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised during study period
Khwezi*	20 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Layzdu	18 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Sakhiman	20 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Listar	18 years	Amathole, rural	Not circumcised
Ngamla	21 years	Amathole, peri-urban	Circumcised
Machete	22 years	Amathole, peri-urban	Circumcised
Mluthwana	16 years	BCM, urban	Not circumcised
Lullo	22 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Mayor	16 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Tonxo	22 years	Amathole, rural	Circumcised
Dee	19 years	Amathole, urban	Circumcised
Mr Shade	17 years	BCM, peri-urban	Not circumcised
Ulwazi*	13 years	BCM, peri-urban	Not circumcised
Jeveno	17 years	Amathole, peri-urban	Circumcised during study period
Movite	18 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Ta Saider	21 years	Amathole, peri-urban	Circumcised
Nginduyi	16 years	Amathole, peri-urban	Not circumcised
Sne	19 years	Amathole, rural	Unknown. (Planned to go but could not find for a follow-up interview)
Nkweza	18 years	BCM, urban	Not circumcised (rejected at clinic during study period)
Svij	25 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
C’Vig	19 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Sividge	21 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Soso	21 years	Amathole, rural	Circumcised
Ndofaya	18 years	BCM, rural	Circumcised
Akhona*	19 years	BCM, urban	Not circumcised (rejected at clinic during study period)
Ringo	17 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised during study period
X-man	22 years	Amathole, peri-urban	Not circumcised (rejected at clinic during study period)
Zube	17 years	BCM, urban	Not circumcised
Luya	17 years	BCM, urban	Not circumcised
Loza	21 years	BCM, peri-urban	Circumcised
Bele	19 years	BCM, urban	Circumcised
Stenza	13 years	Amathole, peri-urban	Not circumcised

^aCircumcision status is provided here due to its centrality in age and gender-based hierarchies within the study site.