{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]],"date-time":"2026-04-24T15:47:07Z","timestamp":1777045627826,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,27]],"date-time":"2024-06-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1719446400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100009054","name":"U.S. President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100009054","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000200","name":"United States Agency for International Development","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000200","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>In South Africa, uptake of HIV services remains lower amongst men compared to women, resulting in poorer clinical outcomes. Several factors contribute to this situation, including stigma, confidentiality concerns, inconvenient clinic operating hours, fear of an HIV-positive test result, and long-waiting times. Additionally, women living with HIV are frequently identified whilst accessing other routine services, particularly antenatal and well-baby care. Novel approaches and strategies are needed to increase men\u2019s routine utilization of health services. For many men, fatherhood is an important part of being a man. Maternal, neonatal and child health services (MNCH) present an opportunity to improve male engagement with routine health services and subsequent uptake of integrated HIV care. However, men\u2019s involvement in MNCH services remains low. This study explored the concept of fatherhood and factors influencing men\u2019s involvement in MNCH services.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This was an exploratory, qualitative study. Three focus group discussions (FGDs), involving 33 male participants, were conducted with men living in communities across Johannesburg. Men were recruited by male peer counsellors, employed by Anova Health Institute under the men\u2019s health programme. Data was collected between May and July 2021. Authors had no access to information that identify individual participants during or after data collection. Data were transcribed inductively and analyzed thematically using NVivo software.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The study found that male participants were eager to be involved in MNCH services. They valued fatherhood and were making concerted efforts to be involved fathers. However, multiple factors influenced men\u2019s involvement in MNCH services. Barriers included sociocultural norms, employment commitments, boredom and disengagement while waiting for services, negative staff attitudes and long waiting times. Participants identified multiple facilitators that would encourage their attendance at MNCH services including positive staff attitudes, quick service, active engagement, positive affirmations by health care workers and the visibility of male health workers\u2019 in MNCH spaces.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The study highlights that men strongly desire to be involved fathers and included in MNCH services. HIV programmes should support this and harness it to actively engage men in HIV services. However, to encourage greater male involvement in MNCH, socio-economic and healthcare system related factors need to be addressed when designing strategies that create more inclusive, family-orientated, male-friendly, and integrated MNCH services.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0296955","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,27]],"date-time":"2024-06-27T18:10:20Z","timestamp":1719511820000},"page":"e0296955","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Using fatherhood to engage men in HIV services via maternal, neonatal and child health entry points in South Africa"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8905-8254","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Cathrine","family":"Chinyandura","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Natasha","family":"Davies","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fezile","family":"Buthelezi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anele","family":"Jiyane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kate","family":"Rees","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0296955.ref001","unstructured":"UNAIDS, \u201cUnderstanding Fast-Track Targets. 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Reflections from South African obstetric services"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0296955","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,27]],"date-time":"2024-06-27T18:11:20Z","timestamp":1719511880000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0296955"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Edward","family":"Chiyaka","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,27]]},"references-count":36,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,27]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0296955","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,27]]}}}