DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i03.080

Pages: 1137-1141

WHO reports 60% reduction in heterosexual transmission of HIV, with circumcision, recommending that VMMC should be considered an efficacious intervention for HIV prevention? In India, VMMC isn‘t offered, due to presumed socio-cultural barriers. Also no information is given to the people-at-risk about its benefits. This study aims to find out the knowledge and acceptability of VMMC. An online survey was conducted amongst adult Indian men using Google forms by posting link on Facebook, in November-2015. Proportions were calculated and Chi-square test was applied.111 Indian men participated. Average age was 27.5years. 39% of participants were circumcised. 94% Muslims were circumcised, while 14% non-Muslims were circumcised. The knowledge regarding VMMC‘s benefits was highest for ‗better genital hygiene‘ (70%) and lowest for ‗decreased sexual pleasure‘ (44%). 29% of uncircumcised men were willing for VMMC. The most common reason for opting was ‗better genital hygiene‘ and the least common was ‗reduction of risk of HIV‘. Religious/cultural barriers to its acceptance were cited by only 9% of declining uncircumcised men. Indian men have some awareness and acceptability for VMMC. The knowledge of the benefits is translated into willingness to opt for VMMC. Religious/cultural opposition to circumcision wasn‘t found to be a major barrier. Thus, the government should launch VMMC as a free and safe procedure along with behavior change communication to increase knowledge VMMC‘s role in decreasing HIV transmission, to increase its uptake.