Effect Of Letter Of Invitation Through Mother Support Group Counselling To Enhance Male Involvement In Prevention Of Mother To Child Transmission Of HIV Program In Bale Zone, South East Ethiopia: Quasi Experimental Study

This study aims to enhance male participation in preventing the transmission of HIV from mothers to their children in Bale Zone, South East Ethiopia. Traditionally, male involvement in maternal health, especially in HIV prevention programs, has been low. This lack of involvement can hinder efforts to reduce pediatric HIV infections. The study tests a new approach by sending formal invitation letters through mother support groups to pregnant women attending their first antenatal visit without their partners. This method hopes to encourage male partners to join their partners in future appointments, increasing their participation in HIV counseling and testing. Participants in this study include pregnant women who are visiting antenatal care clinics without their partners. These women will receive a formal invitation letter to give to their partners, encouraging them to attend the next antenatal appointment. The study is conducted in two hospitals, with one group receiving the invitation letters and the other following the usual care procedure. Researchers will collect data through questionnaires and analyze the results to see if the invitation letters increase male attendance and participation in HIV testing. The goal is to find effective methods to boost male involvement in maternal health, ultimately decreasing the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission.