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Clinical Trial
. 2021 Aug 7;21(1):545.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-021-04002-1.

Acceptability of mentor mother peer support for women living with HIV in North-Central Nigeria: a qualitative study

Angela Odiachi  1 , Maryam Al-Mujtaba  2   3 , Nguavese Torbunde  4   5 , Salome Erekaha  2   6 , Abayomi J Afe  7 , Ebun Adejuyigbe  8 , Hadiza S Galadanci  9 , Tongdiyen L Jasper  2   10 , Llewellyn J Cornelius #  11 , Nadia A Sam-Agudu #  12   13   14
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Acceptability of mentor mother peer support for women living with HIV in North-Central Nigeria: a qualitative study

Angela Odiachi et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Mentor mothers provide psychosocial and other support to pregnant and post-partum women living with HIV (WLHIV), which has been shown to enhance maternal-infant outcomes in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Our objective was to assess the acceptability of mentor mothers as a PMTCT intervention, and to explore opinions on mentor mother program composition and delivery among stakeholders in North-Central Nigeria.

Methods: We conducted nine focus group discussions and 31 in-depth interviews with 118 participants, including WLHIV, pregnant women, male partners, health workers, traditional birth attendants, community leaders, PMTCT program implementers, and policymakers. Participants were purposively recruited from health facilities and surrounding communities in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State. Transcripts were manually analysed using a Grounded Theory approach, where theory was derived from the data collected.

Results: Most participants were female (n = 78, 67%), and married (n = 110, 94%). All participant groups found mentor mothers acceptable as women providing care to pregnant and postpartum women, and as WLHIV supporting other WLHIV. Mentor mothers were uniquely relatable as role models for WLHIV because they were women, living with HIV, and had achieved an HIV-negative status for their HIV-exposed infants. Mentor mothers were recognized as playing major roles in maternal health education, HIV treatment initiation, adherence, and retention, HIV prevention for male partners and infants, and couple HIV disclosure. Most WLHIV preferred to receive mentor mothers' services at health facilities rather than at home, due to concerns about HIV-related stigma and discrimination through association with mentor mothers. Key mentor mother needs were identified as training, remuneration, and validation as lay health workers.

Conclusions: Mentor mothers are an acceptable PMTCT intervention among stakeholders in North-Central Nigeria. However, stigma and discrimination for both mentor mothers and their clients remain a critical challenge, and mentor mother needs such as training, pay, and a sustainably supported niche in health systems require focused attention.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov registration number ( NCT01936753 ), registered on September 3, 2013 (retrospectively registered).

Keywords: Counseling; Expert mothers; HIV; Mentor mothers; Nigeria; PMTCT; Peer support.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Emerging themes on mentor mother peer support to women living with HIV
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. UNAIDS. Start Free Stay Free AIDS Free-2020 Report 2020 [Available from: https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/start-free-stay-f.... Accessed 30 Sept 2020.
    1. UNICEF. Key Considerations for Programming and Prioritization. Going the ‘Last Mile’ to eMTCT: A road map for ending the HIV epidemic in children 2020 [Available from: http://www.childrenandaids.org/Last-Mile-to-EMTCT. Accessed 23 June 2021.
    1. National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Nigeria. National AIDS Spending Assessment, 2015 to 2018 Abuja, Nigeria: Federal Government of Nigeria; 2019 [Available from: https://naca.gov.ng/nasa-report-2019/. Accessed 1 July 2021.
    1. Cornelius LJ, Erekaha SC, Okundaye JN, Sam-Agudu NA. A Socio-Ecological Examination of Treatment Access, Uptake and Adherence Issues Encountered By HIV-Positive Women in Rural North-Central Nigeria. J Evid Inf Soc Work. 2018;15(1):38–51. doi: 10.1080/23761407.2017.1397580. - DOI - PubMed

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