biostudies-literatureMatoga MMFIC NIH HHSNIHe072855https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10552000biostudies-literatureUnknown13(10)<h4>Objective</h4>To evaluate the effect a multistrategy demand-creation and linkage intervention on voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) uptake, time to VMMC and predictors of VMMC uptake among men with sexually transmitted infections (STIs).<h4>Design</h4>Pragmatic preinterventional and postinterventional quasi-experimental study combined with a prospective observational design.<h4>Setting</h4>A public and specialised STI clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi.<h4>Population</h4>Uncircumcised men who presented to the STI clinic.<h4>Methods and intervention</h4>The intervention consisted of transport reimbursement ('R'), intensified health education ('I') and short-messaging services/telephonic tracing ('Te'), abbreviated (RITe). A preintervention phase was conducted at baseline while RITe was rolled-out in the intervention phase in a sequential manner called implementation blocks: 'I' only-block 1; 'I+Te'-block 2 and RITe-block 3.<h4>Main outcome measures</h4>Primary: VMMC uptake and time to VMMC for the full intervention and for each block. Secondary: predictors of VMMC uptake.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 2230 uncircumcised men presented to the STI clinic. The mean age was 29 years (SD±9), 58% were married/cohabiting, HIV prevalence was 6.4% and 43% had urethral discharge. Compared with standard of care (8/514, 1.6%), uptake increased by 100% during the intervention period (55/1716, 3.2%) (p=0.048). 'I' (25/731, 113%, p=0.044) and RITe (17/477, 125%, p=0.044) significantly increased VMMC uptake. The median time to VMMC was shorter during the intervention period (6 days, IQR: 0, 13) compared with standard of care (15 days, IQR: 9, 18). There was no significant incremental effect on VMMC uptake and time to VMMC between blocks. Men with genital warts were 18 times more likely to receive VMMC (adjusted relative risk=18.74, 95% CI: 2.041 to 172.453).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our intervention addressing barriers to VMMC improved VMMC uptake and time to VMMC among uncircumcised men with STIs, an important subpopulation for VMMC prioritisation.<h4>Trial registration number</h4>NCT04677374.BMJ openEffectiveness of an intervention to increase uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision among men with sexually transmitted infections in Malawi: a preinterventional and postinterventional study.PMC10552000D43 TW009774-06D43 TW009774D43 TW009340D43 TW010060Chagomerana MNdalama BKamtambe BJere EChasela CMatoga MMBonongwe NHosseinipour MCMathiya EKudowa EJewett SfalseEffectiveness of an intervention to increase uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision among men with sexually transmitted infections in Malawi: a preinterventional and postinterventional study.<h4>Objective</h4>To evaluate the effect a multistrategy demand-creation and linkage intervention on voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) uptake, time to VMMC and predictors of VMMC uptake among men with sexually transmitted infections (STIs).<h4>Design</h4>Pragmatic preinterventional and postinterventional quasi-experimental study combined with a prospective observational design.<h4>Setting</h4>A public and specialised STI clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi.<h4>Population</h4>Uncircumcised men who presented to the STI clinic.<h4>Methods and intervention</h4>The intervention consisted of transport reimbursement ('R'), intensified health education ('I') and short-messaging services/telephonic tracing ('Te'), abbreviated (RITe). A preintervention phase was conducted at baseline while RITe was rolled-out in the intervention phase in a sequential manner called implementation blocks: 'I' only-block 1; 'I+Te'-block 2 and RITe-block 3.<h4>Main outcome measures</h4>Primary: VMMC uptake and time to VMMC for the full intervention and for each block. Secondary: predictors of VMMC uptake.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 2230 uncircumcised men presented to the STI clinic. The mean age was 29 years (SD±9), 58% were married/cohabiting, HIV prevalence was 6.4% and 43% had urethral discharge. Compared with standard of care (8/514, 1.6%), uptake increased by 100% during the intervention period (55/1716, 3.2%) (p=0.048). 'I' (25/731, 113%, p=0.044) and RITe (17/477, 125%, p=0.044) significantly increased VMMC uptake. The median time to VMMC was shorter during the intervention period (6 days, IQR: 0, 13) compared with standard of care (15 days, IQR: 9, 18). There was no significant incremental effect on VMMC uptake and time to VMMC between blocks. Men with genital warts were 18 times more likely to receive VMMC (adjusted relative risk=18.74, 95% CI: 2.041 to 172.453).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our intervention addressing barriers to VMMC improved VMMC uptake and time to VMMC among uncircumcised men with STIs, an important subpopulation for VMMC prioritisation.<h4>Trial registration number</h4>NCT04677374.2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Oct2026-03-31T11:39:26.382Z2025-04-19T07:16:42.87ZS-EPMC105520003778892710.1136/bmjopen-2023-072855