Implications of male circumcision for women in Papua New Guinea: a transformational grounded theory study

BMC Women's Health

Research Article

Jane Mills¹  William J. H. McBride²  David MacLaren²  Michelle Redman-MacLaren³  Rachael Tommbe⁴  Rick Speare⁵ 

[1] College of Health, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand;College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Australia;College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Australia;Centre for Indigenous Health Equity Research, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Cairns, Australia;College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Australia;School of Health Science, Pacific Adventist University, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea;Tropical Health Solutions, Pty Ltd, Topaz, Australia;

关键词: Papua New Guinea;    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);    Male circumcision;    Women;    Transformational grounded theory;    Participatory action research;    Decolonizing methodologies;    Qualitative research;    Pacific;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12905-017-0406-y

 received in 2015-11-19, accepted in 2017-07-14,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMale circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is being explored for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG). PNG has a concentrated HIV epidemic which is largely heterosexually transmitted. There are a diverse range of male circumcision and penile modification practices across PNG. Exploring the implications of male circumcision for women in PNG is important to inform evidence-based health policy that will result in positive, intended consequences.MethodsThe transformational grounded theory study incorporated participatory action research and decolonizing methodologies. In Phase One, an existing data set from a male circumcision study of 861 male and 519 female participants was theoretically sampled and analyzed for women’s understanding and experience of male circumcision. In Phase Two of the study, primary data were co-generated with 64 women in seven interpretive focus group discussions and 11 semi-structured interviews to develop a theoretical model of the processes used by women to manage the outcomes of male circumcision. In Phase Three participants assisted to refine the developing transformational grounded theory and identify actions required to improve health.ResultsMany women know a lot about male circumcision and penile modification and the consequences for themselves, their families and communities. Their ability to act on this knowledge is determined by numerous social, cultural and economic factors. A transformational grounded theory was developed with connecting categories of: Women Know a Lot, Increasing Knowledge; Increasing Options; and Acting on Choices. Properties and dimensions of each category are represented in the model, along with the intervening condition of Safety. The condition of Safety contextualises the overarching lived realty for women in PNG, enables the inclusion of men in the transformational grounded theory model, and helps to explain relationships between men and women. The theory presents the core category as Power of Choice.ConclusionsThis transformational grounded theory provides a means to explore how women experience male circumcision and penile modification in PNG, including for HIV prevention. Women who have had opportunities for education have a greater range of choices and an increased opportunity to act upon these choices. However, women can only exercise their power of choice in the context of safety. The concept of Peace drawn from the Social Determinants of Health is applied in order to extend the explanatory power of the transformational grounded theory. This study shows that women’s ambivalence about male circumcision is often related to lack of safety, a consequence of gender inequality in PNG.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017