Getting to zero HIV in The Bahamas: Physicians’ attitudes and practice regarding male circumcision

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We proposed that physicians in The Bahamas may favour and participate in a national policy advocating circumcision and conducted a study on the attitudes and practices of Bahamian physicians related to male circumcision(MC). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sample size was estimated using information on physicians’ recommending or practising MC in the United States of America (USA). Bahamian physicians were randomly selected. A standardized questionnaire adapted from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS/World Health Organization(UNAIDS/WHO) was used. Trained medical students conducted the face-to-face interviews. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Board of the Universityof Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and the National Ethics Committee of The Bahamas. Data analysis was done in SPSS. RESULTS: A total of 196 questionnaires were analysed. Over 62% of the sample was between 25 and 49 years ofage; 53% was male. Sixty-one per cent of the sample would recommend MC, 27% were undecided and 12% would not recommend MC. Asked if they would perform MC, 63% reported that they would need additional training. However, if an MC programme was promoted in The Bahamas, 52% would not be willing to provide the service. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that, in The Bahamas, more than half the physicians would support a policy recommending male circumcision. Education and training programmes would likely be beneficial in promoting this practice as half reported being unwilling to provide the service of MC.