Use of peer-education as an interpersonal communication channel in the voluntary medical male circumcision campaign to prevent HIV infections

Abstract

Behaviour change communication experts recognise peer-education as an important propeller of health communication owing to its ability to engender compliance through characteristic sharing. This study examines the utility of peer-based interpersonal communication channel in the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) campaign to prevent HIV infections in Siaya County of Kenya. Siaya, predominantly inhabited by the traditionally non-circumcising Luo people, is among the five leading counties in HIV prevalence in Kenya, with 24.8% against the national average of 4.5%. Specifically, the study sought to establish the level of application of peer-education in relation to other IPC channels, and also determine the peer-education competence of those engaged in the VMMC campaign, both in terms of language proficiency and cultural literacy. Questionnaires were administered on 370 of the study location’s male residents aged 18-50 years; and on 35 VMMC service providers, mainly peer-educators. Two focus group discussions, each comprising five participants were conducted with male and female residents, and follow-up key informant interviews done with three officials of the VMMC implementing agencies. Results of quantitative data analysis are rendered in text and figures, while qualitative findings are presented verbatim. The findings show that peer-education is the most used IPC channel in the campaign, with varied degrees of application and efficacy. Inadequate peer-education-focused training for the programme’s communication team largely accounts for the campaign’s failure to realize 100% success. The study recommends targeted communication training for the peer-educators, as well as the engagement of communication experts as integral part of the VMMC programme.