Implementing integrated care clinics for HIV-infection, diabetes and hypertension in Uganda (INTE-AFRICA): process evaluation of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a dual burden of chronic human immunodeficiency virus and non-communicable diseases. A pragmatic parallel arm cluster randomised trial (INTE-AFRICA) scaled up 'one-stop' integrated care clinics for HIV-infection, diabetes and hypertension at selected facilities in Uganda. These clinics operated integrated health education and concurrent management of HIV, hypertension and diabetes. A process evaluation (PE) aimed to explore the experiences, attitudes and practices of a wide variety of stakeholders during implementation and to develop an understanding of the impact of broader structural and contextual factors on the process of service integration. METHODS: The PE was conducted in one integrated care clinic, and consisted of 48 in-depth interviews with stakeholders (patients, healthcare providers, policy-makers, international organisation, and clinical researchers); three focus group discussions with community leaders and members (n = 15); and 8 h of clinic-based observation. An inductive analytical approach collected and analysed the data using the Empirical Phenomenological Psychological five-step method. Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework was subsequently used to conceptualise integrated care across multiple contextual levels (macro, meso, micro). RESULTS: Four main themes emerged; Implementing the integrated care model within healthcare facilities enhances detection of NCDs and comprehensive co-morbid care; Challenges of NCD drug supply chains; HIV stigma reduction over time, and Health education talks as a mechanism for change. Positive aspects of integrated care centred on the avoidance of duplication of care processes; increased capacity for screening, diagnosis and treatment of previously undiagnosed comorbid conditions; and broadening of skills of health workers to manage multiple conditions. Patients were motivated to continue receiving integrated care, despite frequent NCD drug stock-outs; and development of peer initiatives to purchase NCD drugs. Initial concerns about potential disruption of HIV care were overcome, leading to staff motivation to continue delivering integrated care. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing integrated care has the potential to sustainably reduce duplication of services, improve retention in care and treatment adherence for co/multi-morbid patients, encourage knowledge-sharing between patients and providers, and reduce HIV stigma. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN43896688.

COVID-19 disease and vaccination in pregnancy: understanding knowledge, perceptions and experiences among pregnant women and community leaders in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: We investigated pregnant women and community leaders' knowledge, perceptions and experiences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program during pregnancy in Uganda and how this changed over the course of the pandemic. METHODS: We conducted 20 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and two group discussions (GDs) with pregnant women and four GDs with community leaders in Kawempe division of Kampala, Uganda. The first round of IDIs/GDs were carried out in March 2021. In July 2021, telephone IDIs were conducted with 7 pregnant women and 10 community leaders randomly selected from first-round interview participants. Themes were analysed deductively drawing codes from the topic guides. RESULTS: In the first round, the majority of participants thought COVID-19 was not real because of misconceptions around government messaging/motivation and beliefs that Africans would not be affected. In the second round, participants recognised COVID-19 disease, because of rising case numbers and fatalities. There was increased awareness of the benefits of the vaccine. However, pregnant women remained unsure of vaccine safety and quality, citing side effects like fevers and general body weakness. Role models and coherent public health messaging and healthcare workers were key enablers of vaccine uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted and sustained COVID-19 communication and engagement strategies are needed, especially for pregnant women and others in their communities, to improve vaccine confidence during outbreaks.

"After all, we are all sick": multi-stakeholder understanding of stigma associated with integrated management of HIV, diabetes and hypertension at selected government clinics in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Integrated care is increasingly used to manage chronic conditions. In Uganda, the integration of HIV, diabetes and hypertension care has been piloted, to leverage the advantages of well facilitated and established HIV health care provision structures. This qualitative study aimed to explore HIV stigma dynamics whilst investigating multi-stakeholder perceptions and experiences of providing and receiving integrated management of HIV, diabetes and hypertension at selected government clinics in Central Uganda.  METHODS: We adopted a qualitative-observational design. Participants were purposively selected. In-depth interviews were conducted with patients and with health care providers, clinical researchers, policy makers, and representatives from international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Focus group discussions were conducted with community members and leaders. Clinical procedures in the integrated care clinic were observed. Data were managed using Nvivo 12 and analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Triangulated findings revealed diverse multi-stakeholder perceptions around HIV related stigma. Integrated care reduced the frequency with which patients with combinations of HIV, diabetes, hypertension visited health facilities, reduced the associated treatment costs, increased interpersonal relationships among patients and healthcare providers, and increased the capacity of health care providers to manage multiple chronic conditions. Integration reduced stigma through creating opportunities for health education, which allayed patient fears and increased their resolve to enroll for and adhere to treatment. Patients also had an opportunity to offer and receive psycho-social support and coupled with the support they received from healthcare worker. This strengthened patient-patient and provider-patient relationships, which are building blocks of service integration and of HIV stigma reduction. Although the model significantly reduced stigma, it did not eradicate service level challenges and societal discrimination among HIV patients. CONCLUSION: The study reveals that, in a low resource setting like Uganda, integration of HIV, diabetes and hypertension care can improve patient experiences of care for multiple chronic conditions, and that integrated clinics may reduce HIV related stigma.

A Ugandan Parenting Programme to Prevent Gender-Based Violence: Description and Formative Evaluation.

Purpose: To develop a culturally-sensitive intervention for the early prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) in Uganda. Methods: Programme design followed the 6SQuID model of intervention development and multi-sectorial advice. A formative evaluation was conducted in two communities with six groups and 138 participants. Findings: Four familial predictors of GBV were identified as potentially malleable: poor parent-child attachment, harsh parenting, inequitable gendered socialization and parental conflict. A community-based parenting programme was developed to address them. Its programme theory incorporates Attachment Theory, the concept that positive behavioural control develops emotional control, and Social Learning Theory. Its rationale, structure and content are presented using the TIDieR checklist. A formative evaluation showed the programme to be widely acceptable, culturally appropriate, and perceived to be effective, but also identified challenges. Conclusion: The careful development of this community-based parenting programme shows promise for the early prevention of GBV.

Maternal Vaccination in Uganda: Exploring Pregnant Women, Community Leaders and Healthcare Workers' Perceptions.

Background: We investigated pregnant women, community leaders, healthcare workers (HCWs) and programme managers' perceptions of maternal vaccination in Kampala, Uganda. Methods: We conducted focus group discussions, key informant interviews and in-depth discussions with HCWs (3), community leaders (3), pregnant women (8) and programme managers (10) between November 2019 and October 2020. Data were analysed thematically. Results: Pregnant women, community leaders and some HCWs had limited maternal immunisation knowledge. There was confusion over what constitutes a vaccine. Pregnant women may not receive vaccines because of mistrust of government; use of expired vaccines; reliance on traditional medicine; religious beliefs; fear of side effects; HCWs attitudes; and logistical issues. The key facilitators of maternal vaccination were a desire to prevent diseases, positive influences from HCWs and information about vaccine side effects. Community leaders and some pregnant women highlighted that pregnant women do not make decisions about maternal vaccination independently and are influenced by different individuals, including other pregnant women, older people, partners, relatives (parents), community leaders, HCWs and the government. Conclusions: Our results indicate that public health messaging should target all community members, including partners and parents of pregnant women as well as HCWs, to improve knowledge of and confidence in maternal vaccines.

Diagnosis of gestational diabetes in Uganda: The reactions of women, family members and health workers.

OBJECTIVES: In Uganda, as in many other low- and middle-income countries, screening for gestational diabetes mellitus is suboptimal and is rarely embedded in routine antenatal care. We describe the experiences of women in Uganda who underwent screening for gestational diabetes mellitus and were diagnosed with the condition as they navigate both the reaction of family members and their interaction with health workers. METHODS: Pregnant women aged 18 years or older and between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation were enrolled from the antenatal clinics at one of the five hospitals between 13 June 2018 and 31 October 2019. Ten women with gestational diabetes mellitus, ten family members and six health workers were purposively selected to take part. Interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data on the socio-cultural and health system factors that influence timely screening and effective management of gestational diabetes mellitus in Uganda. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Women generally reflected on the importance of gestational diabetes mellitus screening and felt that an early diagnosis helped them to get timely medical attention, and most reported a positive experience of the care provided by health workers. However, women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus reported feeling fearful and anxious, and some were worried that the condition might be life-threatening. Many women reported that they were upset and largely unprepared to receive a gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis. A gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis not only stirred intense feelings of fear and anxiety in women but also affected their spouses and other family members. Many male partners were sympathetic and willing to provide support. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the need to understand the perceptions and emotions that accompany a gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis to best support women and their family members. An improved recognition of these factors can inform the development of effective gestational diabetes mellitus screening and management programmes.

Career development for infection and immunity research in Uganda: a decade of experience from the Makerere University - Uganda Virus Research Institute research and training programme.

Background: The Makerere University/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) Centre of Excellence for Infection & Immunity Research and Training (MUII) is a collaborative programme supporting excellence in Infection and Immunity (I&I) research in Uganda. Set up in 2008, MUII aims to produce internationally competitive Ugandan and East African I&I research leaders, and develop human and infrastructural resources to support research and training excellence. We undertook an internal evaluation of MUII's achievements, challenges and lessons learned between 08-2008 and 12-2019, to inform programmes seeking to build Africa's health research expertise. Methods: Quantitative data were abstracted from programme annual reports. Qualitative data were obtained in 03-04/2019: a cross-sectional evaluation was undertaken among a purposefully selected representative sample of 27 trainees and two programme staff. Qualitative data was analysed according to pre-determined themes of achievements, challenges, lessons learned and recommendations for improvement. Results: By 12-2019, MUII had supported 68 fellowships at master's-level and above (50% female: 23 Masters, 27 PhD, 15 post-doctoral, three group-leaders) and over 1,000 internships. Fellows reported career advancement, mentorship by experts, and improved research skills and outputs. Fellows have published over 300 papers, secured grants worth over £20m, established over 40 international collaborations, and taken on research and academic leadership positions in the country. Key lessons were: i) Efficient administration provides a conducive environment for high quality research; ii) Institutions need supportive policies for procurement, including provisions for purchases of specific biological research reagents from international manufacturers; iii) Strong international and multi-disciplinary collaboration provides a critical mass of expertise to mentor researchers in development; and iv) Mentorship catalyses young scientists to progress from graduate trainees to productive academic researchers, relevant to society's most pressing health challenges. Conclusions: Sustainable academic productivity can be achieved through efficient operational support, global collaboration and mentorship to provide solutions to Africa's health challenges.

The role of children in their HIV-positive parents' management of antiretroviral therapy in Uganda.

Adjustment to life on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and living with HIV as a long-term chronic condition, pose significant medical, social and economic challenges. We investigated children's role in supporting HIV-positive parents to self-manage life on ART. Between 2010 and 2012, we conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 38 HIV-positive parents who had been on ART for over a year. They were randomly selected from people accessing ART from three delivery sites in Wakiso district, Uganda. Data were analysed thematically. Participants reported children between the ages of 1 and 47 years providing support. Children were a source of happiness, self-worth, encouragement, and comfort. Both younger and older children supported parents' adherence to treatment through reminding them to take the drugs and honour clinic appointments. Older children provided money to buy medication, food and shelter. Parents reported that the encouragement they received after they disclosed to their children enhanced their survival. After HIV disclosure to their children many of their fears about the future were allayed. Thinking about their children's future brought hope. However, looking after younger children while on ART could be burdensome since some parents could not work to their full capacity due to reduced physical health. Children are an important resource in their parents' adjustment to living with HIV while taking ART. There is a need for children to be supported by appropriate policy and other social and health development structures.

Dealing with disclosure: Perspectives from HIV-positive children and their older carers living in rural south-western Uganda.

There are limited data on the challenges faced by carers, in particular older carers, in managing the difficult task of status disclosure for HIV-positive children. We report findings from qualitative interviews with 18 care dyads of older people and HIV-positive children living in rural south-western Uganda. Our data provide insights into perceptions and norms influencing communication during and following disclosure among both carers and children, including those shaped by gendered expectations of girls' and boys' sexual behaviour. Young participants reported several advantages of knowing their status and showed considerable resilience in the face of HIV disclosure. Better and more support is needed to help health workers and carers (particularly older carers) manage cross-generational communication around HIV disclosure and other related aspects of sexual and reproductive health as critical aspects of children's psychosocial development and well-being.

Finding Meaning: HIV Self-Management and Wellbeing among People Taking Antiretroviral Therapy in Uganda.

The health of people living with HIV (PLWH) and the sustained success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes depends on PLWH's motivation and ability to self-manage the condition over the long term, including adherence to drugs on a daily basis. PLWH's self-management of HIV and their wellbeing are likely to be interrelated. Successful self-management sustains wellbeing, and wellbeing is likely to motivate continued self-management. Detailed research is lacking on PLWH's self-management processes on ART in resource-limited settings. This paper presents findings from a study of PLWH's self-management and wellbeing in Wakiso District, Uganda. Thirty-eight PLWH (20 women, 18 men) were purposefully selected at ART facilities run by the government and by The AIDS Support Organisation in and around Entebbe. Two in-depth interviews were completed with each participant over three or four visits. Many were struggling economically, however the recovery of health and hope on ART had enhanced wellbeing and motivated self-management. The majority were managing their condition well across three broad domains of self-management. First, they had mobilised resources, notably through good relationships with health workers. Advice and counselling had helped them to reconceptualise their condition and situation more positively and see hope for the future, motivating their work to self-manage. Many had also developed a new network of support through contacts they had developed at the ART clinic. Second, they had acquired knowledge and skills to manage their health, a useful framework to manage their condition and to live their life. Third, participants were psychologically adjusting to their condition and their new 'self': they saw HIV as a normal disease, were coping with stigma and had regained self-esteem, and were finding meaning in life. Our study demonstrates the centrality of social relationships and other non-medical aspects of wellbeing for self-management which ART programmes might explore further and encourage.

The Framing and Fashioning of Therapeutic Citizenship Among People Living With HIV Taking Antiretroviral Therapy in Uganda.

In this article, we examine how people living with HIV (PLWH) were able to reconceptualize or "reframe" their understanding of HIV and enhance their capacity to self-manage the condition. Two in-depth interviews were held with 38 PLWH (20 women, 18 men) selected from three government and nongovernment antiretroviral therapy (ART) delivery sites in Wakiso District, and the narratives analyzed. ART providers played an important role in shaping participants' HIV self-management processes. Health workers helped PLWH realize that they could control their condition, provided useful concepts and language for emotional coping, and gave advice about practical self-management tasks, although this could not always be put into practice. ART providers in this setting were spaces for the development of a collective identity and a particular form of therapeutic citizenship that encouraged self-management, including adherence to ART. Positive framing institutions are important for many PLWH in resource-limited settings and the success of ART programs.

Antiretroviral therapy and changing patterns of HIV stigmatisation in Entebbe, Uganda.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has the potential to change processes of HIV stigmatisation. In this article, changing processes of stigmatisation among a group of people living with HIV (PLWH) on ART in Wakiso District, Uganda, are analysed using qualitative data from a study of PLWH's self-management of HIV on ART. There were 38 respondents (20 women, 18 men) who had been taking ART for at least 1 year. They were purposefully selected from government and non-government ART providers. Two in-depth interviews were held with each participant. Processes of reduced self-stigmatisation were clearly evident, caused by the recovery of their physical appearance and support from health workers. However most participants continued to conceal their status because they anticipated stigma; for example, they feared gossip, rejection and their status being used against them. Anticipated stigma was gendered: women expressed greater fear of enacted forms of stigma such as rejection by their partner; in contrast men's fears focused on gossip, loss of dignity and self-stigmatisation. The evidence indicates that ART has not reduced underlying structural drivers of stigmatisation, notably gender identities and inequalities, and that interventions are still required to mitigate and tackle stigmatisation, such as counselling, peer-led education and support groups that can help PLWH reconstruct alternative and more positive identities. A video abstract of this article can be found at: https://youtu.be/WtIaZJQ3Y_8.

Exploring the care relationship between grandparents/older carers and children infected with HIV in south-western Uganda: implications for care for both the children and their older carers.

The care of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa is often undertaken by grandparents, yet little is known about the care relationship between grandparent and grandchild. Our aim was to examine this relationship to understand the needs and responsibilities of both the HIV positive child and older carer and the nature of the relationship, and to assess the implications for care for the children and the older carers. A qualitative study was conducted with 40 purposively sampled children (13-17 years) and their older carers (50 years and above). Participants were recruited from two clinics in south-western Uganda. Up to three semi-structured interviews were held with each participant. Data were analysed using a thematic framework approach. We found that the care relationship was mostly reciprocal: HIV positive children depended on carers for basic and health needs and carers counted on the children for performing tedious household tasks. The relationship was also characterised by challenges, sometimes causing tension between child and carer. We conclude that: (1) interventions targeting HIV positive children need to also address the needs of older carers, and (2) carers and children would benefit from psychosocial support and social protection.

Understanding motives for intravaginal practices amongst Tanzanian and Ugandan women at high risk of HIV infection: the embodiment of social and cultural norms and well-being.

Some types of intravaginal practices (IVP) may increase the risk for HIV acquisition. This is particularly worrisome for populations with dual high prevalence of HIV and IVP. Women involved in transactional sex are at increased risk for HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. Social, cultural and economic influences are strong drivers of IVP in this population. To explore this, we carried out a qualitative research study to investigate the drivers and motivations for using IVP within a large observational study of women at high risk of HIV in Tanzania and Uganda from September 2008 to September 2009. Of the 201 women selected, 176 women took part in a semi-structured in-depth interview. Additionally, in Tanzania, eight focus group discussions among study participants and community members were carried out to obtain information on community norms and expectations. IVP were motivated by overlapping concerns with hygiene, morality, sexual pleasure, fertility, relationship security, and economic security. These motives were driven by the need to meet cultural and social expectations of womanhood, and at the same time attend to personal well-being. Among women involved in transactional sex in East Africa, interventions aimed at modifying or eliminating IVP should attend to local cultural and social norms as well as the individual as an agent of change.

Tasks and strategies of self-management of living with antiretroviral therapy in Uganda.

There is increasing interest in promoting and supporting self-management of HIV and antiretroviral treatment (ART), including in resource-limited settings. Although the impact of HIV and ART on people in Uganda has been explored, little attention has been paid to how people self-manage. This qualitative study collected data from 20 participants on ART in Wakiso district, Uganda, using in-depth interviews, life histories, and observations to explore the tasks and strategies of living with ART. The identified strategies were compared to two existing self-management frameworks. Results highlighted a range of tasks including obtaining, taking, and adhering to ART medication, monitoring their condition, living with stigma and managing disclosure, maintaining general health, and adjusting to new roles. Participants described a range of strategies or behaviors to manage, which they actively created and used, tailored to their needs and environment. Comparison with existing frameworks revealed many similarities, with some local differences in enactment, and greater emphasis in our sample on obtaining the medication. Interventions to support people with self-management in Uganda, and possibly other resource-limited settings, require careful adaptation to local settings. The degree to which each of these strategies may improve health and quality of life requires further investigation.

Vaginal practices among women at high risk of HIV infection in Uganda and Tanzania: recorded behaviour from a daily pictorial diary.

BACKGROUND: Intravaginal practices (IVP) are highly prevalent in sub-Saharan African and have been implicated as risk factors for HIV acquisition. However, types of IVP vary between populations, and detailed information on IVP among women at risk for HIV in different populations is needed. We investigated IVP among women who practice transactional sex in two populations: semi-urban, facility workers in Tanzania who engage in opportunistic sex work; and urban, self-identified sex workers and bar workers in Uganda. The aim of the study was to describe and compare IVP using a daily pictorial diary. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Two hundred women were recruited from a HIV prevention intervention feasibility study in Kampala, Uganda and in North-West Tanzania. Women were given diaries to record IVP daily for six weeks. Baseline data showed that Ugandan participants had more lifetime partners and transactional sex than Tanzanian participants. Results from the diary showed that 96% of Tanzanian participants and 100% of Ugandan participants reported intravaginal cleansing during the six week study period. The most common types of cleansing were with water only or water and soap. In both countries, intravaginal insertion (e.g. with herbs) was less common than cleansing, but insertion was practiced by more participants in Uganda (46%) than in Tanzania (10%). In Uganda, participants also reported more frequent sex, and more insertion related to sex. In both populations, cleansing was more often reported on days with reported sex and during menstruation, and in Uganda, when participants experienced vaginal discomfort. Participants were more likely to cleanse after sex if they reported no condom use. CONCLUSIONS: While intravaginal cleansing was commonly practiced in both cohorts, there was higher frequency of cleansing and insertion in Uganda. Differences in IVP were likely to reflect differences in sexual behaviour between populations, and may warrant different approaches to interventions targeting IVP. Vaginal practices among women at high risk in Uganda and Tanzania: recorded behaviour from a daily pictorial diary.

Neglected older women and men: Exploring age and gender as structural drivers of HIV among people aged over 60 in Uganda.

This study explored how women's and men's gendered experiences from childhood to old age have shaped their vulnerability in relation to HIV both in terms of their individual risk of HIV and their access to and experiences of HIV services. It was a small scale-scale study conducted in urban and rural sites in Uganda between October 2011 and March 2012. The study used qualitative methods: in-depth interviews (with 31 participants) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with older women (2) and men (2) in urban and rural sites and 7 key informant interviews (KIIs) with stakeholders from government and non-government agencies working on HIV issues. Women's position, the cultural management of sex and gender and contextual stigma related to HIV and to old age inter-relate to produce particular areas of vulnerability to the HIV epidemic among older women and men. Women report the compounding factor of gender-based violence marking many of their sexual relationships throughout their lives, including in older age. Both women and men report extremely fragile livelihoods in their old age. Older people are exposed to HIV through multiple and intersecting drivers of risk and represent an often neglected population within health systems. Research and interventions need to go beyond only conceptualising older people as 'carers' to better address their gendered vulnerabilities to HIV in relation to all aspects of policy and programming.

Despondency among HIV-positive older men and women in Uganda.

Forty people over 60 years of age took part in longitudinal research over the course of a year on the impact of the HIV epidemic in southern Uganda. In this paper we focus mainly on the data from 26 of the 40 who were HIV-positive. While we observed that feelings of depression were frequently experienced by many of the people in our study, the state of 'being depressed' was not constant. Participants regularly expressed economic frustration (because of a lack of money to buy food and other commodities including sugar and soap); medical problems (including those related to HIV) as well as old age, the burden of dependents (including concerns about school fees for grandchildren), feelings of sadness and isolation, and a lack of support from others, as well as stigma, whether real or perceived. However, while worries, sorrow and despondent thoughts were reported in many of the interviews across the study, moods fluctuated moving from happiness and hope, to sadness and despair, from month to month. Concerns regarding the psychological wellbeing amongst older people, including those living with HIV and older carers in Uganda deserve greater attention.

Vaginal practices diary: development of a pictorial data collection tool for sensitive behavioral data.

BACKGROUND: Intravaginal practices (IVP) are highly prevalent behaviors among women at increased risk for HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. IVP data collected by face-to-face interviews (FTFI) may be subject to recall or social desirability bias. Daily self-administered diaries may help to decrease bias associated with FTFI. IVP data from a diary and FTFI were compared during a multisite microbicide feasibility study in Tanzania and Uganda. METHODS: In all, 200 women were recruited and given diaries to complete daily for 6 weeks. Data obtained in the diary were compared with data from the FTFI during clinical visits to assess the consistency of reporting of IVP between the data collection methods. RESULTS: In Tanzania, proportions of overall vaginal cleansing and insertion were similar for the FTFI and the diary, but the diary indicated higher frequency of cleansing and use of a cloth or other applicator. In Uganda, proportions of overall vaginal cleansing were similar for FTFI and the diary, but the diary indicated higher frequency of cleansing, use of soaps and cloths for cleansing, and insertion. Most of the inconsistencies between the 2 data collection methods were from reported frequency of IVP or IVP related to sexual intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of FTFI and the vaginal practice diary suggests that recall of IVP may be improved by a daily self-administered diary, especially for frequency of cleansing and cleansing in proximity to sexual intercourse. The vaginal practices diary can provide a more detailed understanding of IVP and aid in the interpretation of findings from FTFI.