Partners-based HIV Treatment for Sero-concordant Couples attending Antenatal Care

Researchers from Vanderbilt University and the U-M School of Public Health, along with Dr. Matthew Diemer, will implement and rigorously evaluate an intervention targeting mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Mozambique. This community-engaged intervention, conducted at 24 clinics in Mozambique, aims to increase male partners’ involvement in antenatal care and antiretroviral treatment (ART) processes among sero-concordant couples (where both male and female partners are HIV+). This project engages community-based leaders and peers as supports and counselors, to address male partners’ traditional resistance to antenatal care and ART adherence.

Project outcomes will provide data about the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of novel models of care, as well as costs and cost-effectiveness, thereby providing the Mozambican authorities the information needed to prioritize evidence-based HIV programming in a nation with high rates of HIV transmission. Dr. Diemer will contribute his methodological expertise to the project, including the application of structural equation modeling to examine mediation, moderation, and mediated moderation, to clarify the specific mechanisms by which the intervention may be effective. Project outcomes may suggest novel approaches to reduce mother to child transmission of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.