Barriers to Anti-HIV Circumcision Campaign Not So Bad. 04/08/08

Recent studies in Kenya and Zambia indicate that circumcision, which has been shown to cut HIV infection dramatically, is positively viewed and does not increase risk-taking behavior. The studies were conducted in Africa, and the data were presented by US researchers at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.

Although studies in Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa found that circumcision halved the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission, concerns remained that cultural, religious or sexual attitudes might affect use of the procedure in sub-Saharan Africa, where the prevalence of HIV is high. Also, there were concerns that newly circumcised men might engage in high-risk behavior, including not using condoms.

According to the Kenyan research of 1,319 newly circumcised men, this is not the case.

"The results of this study suggest that HIV risk behaviors are unlikely to increase. They may even decline," said Robert Bailey, a co-author of the Kenyan study at the University of Illinois.

The Zambian study of 2,784 men ages 18 to 24, conducted by Bailey for Population Services International (PSI), found that men experienced no pain or sexual dysfunction from circumcision and believed the procedure enhanced sexual pleasure.

Dvora Joseph at PSI said, "We are asking the international community to help national governments and their partners to introduce male circumcision wherever HIV prevalence is greater and circumcision rates are lower - in the nations of Eastern and Southern Africa."

According to French AIDS researcher Bertran Auvert, circumcision could avert up to 3.8 million infections and half-a-million deaths in sub-Saharan Africa between 2006 and 2016, and up to 5.8 million deaths by 2026.