{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T11:21:37Z","timestamp":1785410497680,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"AOSIS","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,30]],"date-time":"2024-09-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1727654400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background:\u00a0Male circumcision has health benefits and cultural significance in South Africa and elsewhere. We sought to understand perceptions about male circumcision among participants enrolled in a preventive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine efficacy trial in South Africa.\n\nMethods:\u00a0We conducted a qualitative study with 28 consenting people aged 18\u201335 years old who self-reported that they were not living with HIV and who were participating in the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) 702 vaccine efficacy trial in Soweto. Using a semi-structured guide, we facilitated four focus group discussions (FGDs) stratified by age, gender and sexual orientation. Focus group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated into English and thematically analysed.\n\nResults:\u00a0Four main themes emerged: (1) accurate knowledge about what male circumcision is, with some participants stating that it partially reduces acquisition of HIV and sexually transmitted infections; (2) emerging distrust of cultural circumcision because of perceived lack of transparency and adverse events; (3) misperceptions that circumcision boosted masculinity and (4) the influenced of parents, family and female partners in circumcision decision-making.\n\nConclusion:\u00a0Young South African HIV vaccine trial participants accurately understand the HIV prevention benefits of male circumcision, but uptake decisions are embedded within a context informed by culture, sexuality, masculinity norms and values and the influence of women.\n\nContribution:\u00a0In this study, we showed that young South Africans participating in HIV vaccine trials instead embed their circumcision uptake decisions within a context informed by culture, sexuality and masculinity norms and values and influence of women.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/jcmsa.v2i1.58","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,30]],"date-time":"2024-09-30T16:18:52Z","timestamp":1727713132000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Male circumcision perceptions among HIV vaccine trial participants in Soweto: Qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"2","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-2571-2761","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mbalenhle","family":"Sibiya","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5231-9951","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fatima","family":"Laher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8495-2209","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mamakiri","family":"Mulaudzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0952-6757","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lerato M.","family":"Makhale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2921-4806","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Taibat","family":"Salami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Texas"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5505-6488","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefanie","family":"Hornschuh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7880-6448","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hong-Van","family":"Tieu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01xvcf081","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"New York Blood Center"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1949-3138","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Janan J.","family":"Dietrich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Weiss HA, Dickson KE, Agot K, Hankins CA. 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AIDS Care. 2020;32(3):343\u2013353. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/09540121.2019.1679704","DOI":"10.1080\/09540121.2019.1679704"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wilcken A, Keil T, Dick B. Traditional male circumcision in Eastern and Southern Africa: A systematic review of prevalence and complications. Bull World Health Organ. 2010;88:907\u2013914. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2471\/BLT.09.072975","DOI":"10.2471\/BLT.09.072975"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Prusente S, Khuzwayo N, Sikweyiya Y. Exploring factors influencing integration of traditional and medical male circumcision methods at Ingquza Hill local municipality, Eastern Cape: A socio-ecological perspective. Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med. 2019;11(1):a1948. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/phcfm.v11i1.1948","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v11i1.1948"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Douglas M, Maluleke TX, Manyaapelo T, Pinkney-Atkinson V. 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Bamenda: Langaa RPCIG, 2022; p. 297.","DOI":"10.2307\/j.ctv2gs4grp.19"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Omukunyi B. Understanding the Bamasaaba men and masculinity in response to the safe medical male circumcision policy in Uganda. Masculinities Soc Change. 2022;11(3):237\u2013262. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.17583\/mcs.10135","DOI":"10.17583\/mcs.10135"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Maraux B, Lissouba P, Rain-Taljaard R, et al. Women\u2019s knowledge and perception of male circumcision before and after its roll-out in the South African township of Orange Farm from community-based cross-sectional surveys. PLoS One. 2017;12(3):e0173595. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0173595","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0173595"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Morris BJ, Hankins CA, Lumbers ER, et al. 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