The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68851

Julie Pulerwitz, ScD, Horizons project, PATH, 4301 Connecticut Avenue N.W., Suite 280, Washington DC, DC 20008, (202) 237-9400, jpulerwitz@pcdc.org, Ravai Marindo, PhD, Centre for Population Studies, Population Council, 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, New York, NY 10017, Steve Pearson, PhD, Indepedent consultant, 59 Park Road, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0AN, United Kingdom, and Ellen Weiss, MSc, Horizons project, International Center for Research on Women, 4301 Connecticut Avenue N.W., Suite 280, Washington, DC 20008.

An intervention study to encourage male involvement in their partner’s reproductive health, including the promotion of equitable relationship power among couples, was implemented in a rural ANC setting in Zimbabwe. The distribution of relationship power has been shown to influence outcomes like HIV/STI risk.

Pregnant women (total n = 438 – experimental and comparison groups) and their male partners (total n = 122 – experimental only) were separated into 4 groups by exposure to different intervention activities: no intervention; community outreach to motivate male involvement; enhanced IEC: male-oriented materials and group ANC talk; combination of couple counseling, enhanced IEC, and community outreach. The follow-up data (3-6 months post-partum) were compared to survey responses at baseline (during early pregnancy). The 13-item measure for relationship power was adapted from the Sexual Relationship Power Scale (Pulerwitz et al., 2000), and evaluated for reliability (Cronbach’s alpha ~.65 for both men and women). Compared to base-line, both female and male respondents exposed to the most intensive intervention were more likely at follow-up to report a more equal distribution of power in their marital relationships (p < .01). That is, women reported more relationship power and men reported that women had more power. Men and women who were exposed to enhanced IEC only reported no significant change. Women who were exposed to no intervention or to community outreach only showed a significant decrease in relationship power.

Findings imply a combination of activities are needed to positively influence relationship power, which has implications for HIV/STI risk reduction.

Learning Objectives:

• (1) Audience members will be able to describe an ANC and community-based intervention to increase male involvement and reduce HIV/STI risk among pregnant women and their partners.
• (2) Audience members will learn about the relationship between male involvement and power in sexual relationships.
• (3) Audience members will learn of a measure for power in sexual relationships, that has been adapted from the Sexual Relationship Power Scale for the Zimbabwean setting.

Keywords: Reproductive Health,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.