Uptake of Home-Based Syphilis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing Among Male Partners of Pregnant Women in Western Kenya

Abstract

Background Few men are tested for syphilis or HIV during their partner’s pregnancy, a high-risk period for HIV and syphilis transmission. Offering home-based rapid testing of syphilis to couples during pregnancy can support prevention efforts to reduce transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods We assessed men’s uptake of paired (separate tests, single blood draw) point-of-care syphilis and HIV tests within a randomized controlled trial of pregnant women who received clinic or home partner HIV testing. We evaluated acceptance of paired HIV-syphilis testing during pregnancy or at 6 months postpartum, and evaluated whether addition of syphilis testing affected the uptake of HIV testing among men. Results Out of 601 women, we were unable to meet 101 male partners, and 180 tested before syphilis tests were available. Paired syphilis and HIV testing was offered at home to 80 men during pregnancy and to 230 men postpartum. For syphilis, 93% of men agreed to test during pregnancy and 98% agreed postpartum. For paired syphilis and HIV testing, 91% of men tested for both during pregnancy and 96% tested postpartum. Before syphilis test introduction, 96% of men accepted HIV testing, compared to 95% of men who accepted HIV testing when paired testing was offered. Conclusions Uptake of syphilis and HIV testing was high among male partners offered couple testing at home. Introducing syphilis testing did not adversely affect HIV testing among men. Point-of-care diagnostics outside facilities can increase testing of male partners who rarely accompany women to antenatal clinics.

Impact of providing free HIV self-testing kits on frequency of testing among men who have sex with men and their sexual partners in China: A randomized controlled trial

“…In addition, WHO advocates enhancing PHT as a key approach to enlarging HIV testing coverage [25,27]. Previous research provided some evidence on the use of HIVST kits among male partners distributed by pregnant women or female sex workers [28,37]; however, these findings could not be directly applied to MSM. Our study showed that provision of free HIVST kits could more than double the potential capacity for MSM to have PHT on average.…”

Barriers to and Opportunities for Male Partner Involvement in Antenatal Care in Efforts to Eliminate Mother-to-child Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Kenya: Systematic Review

“…Cross-sectional study 188 male partners, Nyanza province Pregnant women and their male partners preferred home-based tests compared to clinic or VCT-center based (Mark et al, 2018) [26]…”

Challenges and motivators for male partner involvement in prenatal care for HIV testing in a tertiary setting in Brazil

“…32 Other options that have been successfully tried include home testing in Kenya and in Malawi. 33,34 In all our analyses, men who had a history of not seeking medical care due to cost had lower odds of PNC attendance, likely because they were concerned about medical costs associated with PNC attendance. Considering that paternal PNC attendance is free of cost at SUS hospitals in Brazil, this belief potentially reflects transportation costs or costs incurred by the visit, the cost of medications, and the loss of daily wage because of missed work.…”