Proportion of males circumcised in the intended population Proportion of males circumcised in the intended population Definition: This is the proportion of men surveyed in the “intended population”, the group targeted to benefit from male circumcision services, who report being circumcised. This indicator is calculated as: Number of males circumcised / Number of males responding Data Requirement(s): Men’s circumcision status Data Source(s): Population-based survey (DHS, HIV/AIDS survey, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys) or other representative survey. Data should be disaggregated by age and source/practitioner of circumcision procedure (formal health-care system, traditional or mixed). Purpose: This indicator assesses changing rates of male circumcision in an intended population. The results of the indicator inform modeling of male circumcision’s impact on HIV incidence, and provide an indication of potential demand in an intended population. Changing rates of male circumcision may or may not be the result of a program increasing demand for and/or access to male circumcision. For example, changing societal norms not due to a program may be leading to changing rates of male circumcision. This indicator measures total change in the population, whatever the reason(s). Modeling the potential impact of changing rates of male circumcision on HIV incidence requires accurate knowledge of male circumcision status over time. HIV prevalence, or modeled incidence, will be acquired from population-based surveys and changes will then need to be interpreted using information from this indicator. Changes in the result will inform interpretation and the triangulation of supply and demand indicators. This indicator has been added under a new Prevention sub-area on male circumcision in the PEPFAR Next Generation Indicators Reference Guide (2009) and is listed as P5.5. Issue(s): Existing population-based surveys (such as DHS) may not accurately measure true circumcision status because of a lack of knowledge of what circumcision is, confusion about circumcision status, or perceived social desirability of circumcision status. Other approaches to determining circumcision status might be used, e.g. the use of pictures or drawings (drawings may be more culturally appropriate), prompts or even direct examination. Keywords: male circumcision, access, HIV/AIDS References: WHO & UNAIDS. A guide to indicators for male circumcision programmes in the formal health care system. 2009. http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/malecircumcision/hiv_mc_me.pdf PEPFAR, 2009, The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: Next Generation Indicators Reference Guide, Washington, DC: USAID/PEPFAR. https://www.k4health.org/toolkits/igwg-gender/president%E2%80%99s-emergency-plan-aids-relief-next-generation-indicators-reference Related content Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Filed under: access, Family Planning, FP, FP/RH, HIV/AIDS, Indicators, male circumcision, men’s health, Reproductive Health, RH
