Table 4 Attitudes and beliefs about foreskin cutting

Theme (i) Foreskin cutting and socio-cultural practice

Having a split foreskin is a part of my culture

Yes

9% (32)

25% (97)

24% (21)

< .001

18% (150)

8% (37)

< .001

No

68% (246)

57% (222)

60% (52)

62% (520)

42% (204)

Unsure

23% (85)

19% (73)

16% (14)

20% (172)

51% (248)

Having a round cut is part of my culture

Yes

8% (28)

15% (58)

38% (33)

< .001

14% (119)

10.5% (51)

< .001

No

69% (247)

63% (245)

47% (41)

64% (533)

37% (182)

Unsure

23% (83)

22% (86)

15% (13)

22% (182)

52.5% (256)

Having a split foreskin proves manhood

Yes

25% (90)

51% (200)

34% (29)

< .001

38% (319)

18% (80)

< .001

No

32% (114)

19% (72)

30% (26)

26% (212)

18% (79)

Unsure

43% (153)

30% (116)

36% (31)

36% (300)

63% (274)

Having a round cut proves manhood

Yes

24% (87)

44% (173)

51% (44)

< .001

36% (304)

22% (107)

< .001

No

31% (113)

19% (74)

23% (20)

25% (207)

18% (87)

Unsure

45% (161)

37% (142)

26% (23)

39% (326)

60% (288)

Men with a split foreskin are respected by their peers

Yes

18% (65)

35% (135)

29% (25)

< .001

27% (225)

7% (35)

< .001

No

29% (107)

32% (124)

40% (34)

32% (265)

11% (53)

Unsure

53% (191)

33% (130)

31% (27)

41% (348)

82% (396)

Men with a round cut are respected by their peers

Yes

17% (61)

31% (122)

42% (36)

< .001

26% (219)

11.5% (56)

< .001

No

28% (102)

31% (120)

32% (28)

30% (250)

11% (55)

Unsure

55% (198)

38% (148)

26% (23)

44% (360)

77.5% (378)

Having a split foreskin is forbidden by my religion

Yes

23% (82)

15% (59)

12% (10)

< .001

18% (151)

13% (63)

< .001

No

42% (122)

52% (205)

55% (47)

45% (374)

28% (137)

Unsure

44% (158)

33% (127)

34% (29)

37% (314)

59% (284)

Having a round cut is forbidden by my religion

Yes

22% (79)

15% (59)

9% (8)

< .001

18% (146)

13% (62)

< .001

No

35% (125)

51% (199)

64% (55)

45% (379)

29% (141)

Unsure

43% (157)

34% (131)

27% (23)

37% (311)

58% (276)

Having a split foreskin is forbidden by my custom/culture

Yes

18% (63)

13% (50)

14% (12)

< .001

15% (125)

11.5% (54)

< .001

No

44% (156)

65% (250)

64% (55)

56% (461)

30% (145)

Unsure

39% (139)

22% (86)

22% (19)

29% (244)

58.5% (281)

Having a round cut is forbidden by my custom/culture

Yes

19% (68)

15% (58)

11% (10)

< .001

16% (136)

11.5% (55)

< .001

No

43% (157)

61% (236)

70% (61)

54% (454)

30% (145)

Unsure

38% (136)

24% (95)

18% (16)

30% (247)

58.5% (280)

Theme (ii) Foreskin cutting and sexual practice

A split foreskin decreases sexual pleasure for a man

Yes

13% (47)

16% (62)

8% (7)

< .001

14% (116)

9% (46)

< .001

No

26% (95)

50% (194)

50% (42)

39% (331)

22% (104)

Unsure

61% (220)

34% (135)

43% (37)

47% (392)

69% (330)

A round cut decreases sexual pleasure for a man

Yes

14% (51)

14% (56)

15% (13)

< .001

14% (120)

10% (48)

< .001

No

26% (93)

43% (166)

53% (46)

36% (305)

22% (104)

Unsure

60% (218)

43% (168)

32% (28)

49% (414)

68% (329)

Sex lasts longer for men who have a split foreskin

Yes

19% (68)

44% (171)

22% (19)

< .001

31% (258)

9.5% (46)

< .001

No

12% (42)

13% (52)

20% (17)

13% (111)

10.5% (51)

Unsure

69% (250)

43% (166)

58% (50)

56% (466)

80% (387)

Sex lasts longer for men who have a round cut

Yes

19% (67)

38% (145)

47% (41)

< .001

30% (253)

13% (63)

< .001

No

1% (41)

12% (46)

14% (12)

12% (99)

8.5% (40)

Unsure

70% (252)

50% (195)

39% (34)

58% (481)

78.5% (375)

Having a split foreskin encourages men to have more sexual partners

Yes

28% (100)

41% (159)

25% (21)

< .001

34% (280)

17% (82)

< .001

No

19% (70)

30% (116)

44% (37)

27% (223)

21.5% (102)

Unsure

53% (192)

29% (113)

31% (26)

40% (331)

61.5% (294)

Having a round cut encourages men to have more sexual partners

Yes

27% (99)

40% (153)

26% (22)

< .001

33% (274)

19% (90)

< .001

No

18% (67)

26% (102)

48% (41)

25% (210)

21% (100)

Unsure

54% (196)

34% (132)

27% (23)

42% (351)

60% (281)

Women prefer to have sex with a man who has a split foreskin

Yes

31% (112)

51% (200)

39% (34)

< .001

41% (346)

15% (72)

< .001

No

10% (35)

7% (26)

11% (9)

8% (70)

11% (52)

Unsure

59% (214)

42% (165)

50% (43)

50% (422)

74% (358)

Women prefer to have sex with a man who has a round cut

Yes

31% (114)

49% (193)

50% (44)

< .001

42% (351)

22% (106)

< .001

No

10% (35)

6% (25)

8% (7)

8% (67)

8% (38)

Unsure

59% (213)

45% (175)

34% (37)

50% (425)

70% (338)

Theme (iii) foreskin cutting and sexual health

Men with a split foreskin do not need to use condoms to protect them from STIs & HIV

Yes

13% (45)

17% (65)

11% (9)

< .001

14% (119)

10% (48)

< .001

No

50% (181)

61% (239)

69% (59)

57% (479)

50% (242)

Unsure

37% (135)

22% (88)

20% (17)

29% (240)

40% (195)

Men with a round cut do not need to use condoms to protect them from STIs & HIV

Yes

14% (52)

17% 965)

9% (8)

< .001

15% 9125)

10% (47)

< .001

No

49% (176)

61% (237)

72% (61)

57% (474)

51% (246)

Unsure

37% (132)

23% (89)

19% (16)

28% (237)

39% (190)

Men with a split foreskin can become infected with HIV

Yes

59% (211)

64% (251)

65% (56)

.015

63% (518)

45% (219)

< .001

No

6% (20)

10% (39)

9% (8)

8% (67)

10% (50)

Unsure

36% (127)

26% (100)

26% (22)

30% (249)

44% (213)

Men with a round cut can become infected with HIV

Yes

58% (209)

64% (250)

68% (60)

.059

62% (519)

41% (198)

< .001

No

7% (26)

9% (36)

10% (9)

8% (71)

13% (64)

Unsure

35% (126)

27% (106)

22% (19)

30% (251)

46% (220)

A split foreskin reduces the risk of becoming infected with HIV

Yes

31% (112)

37% (145)

33% (28)

.324

34% (285)

27% (130)

< .001

No

25% (92)

26% (101)

28% (24)

26% (217)

22% (105)

Unsure

44% (157)

37% (142)

39% (34)

40% (333)

51% (248)

A round cut reduces the risk of becoming infected with HIV

Yes

35% (126)

39% (153)

36% (32)

.813

37% (311)

33.5% (162)

< .001

No

26% (93)

25% (98)

24% (21)

25% (212)

17% (82)

Unsure

39% (141)

36% (141)

40% (35)

38% (317)

49.5% (239)

Theme (iv) foreskin cutting and safety

It is safe to use the same blade or razor to split or remove the foreskin of many men at one time

Yes

5% (17)

8% (30)

6% (5)

< .001

6% (52)

3% (16)

< .001

No

81% (293)

87% (339)

89% (77)

85% (709)

75% (365)

Unsure

14% (51)

5% (21)

5% (4)

9% (76)

21% (104)

Splitting the foreskin in a village by a friend or relative is a safe procedure

Yes

8% (27)

15% (60)

17% (15)

.005

12% (102)

5.5% (26)

< .001

No

67% (237)

64% (245)

65% (55)

65% (537)

63.5% (297)

Unsure

26% (91)

21% (80)

18% (15)

23% (186)

31% (146)

Removing the foreskin in a village by a friend or relative is a safe procedure

Yes

8% (27)

12% (46)

17% (15)

.043

11% (88)

6% (30)

< .001

No

67% (243)

66% (258)

66% (57)

64% (558)

61.5% (296)

Unsure

25% (92)

22% (87)

17% (15)

23% (194)

32.5% (157)

Having a round cut by a doctor or nurse in a clinic or hospital is a safe procedure

Yes

83% (298)

92% (360)

88% (77)

.005

88% (735)

71% (342)

< .001

No

3% (10)

2% (7)

3% (3)

2% (20)

5% (23)

Unsure

14% (51)

6% (25)

8% (7)

10% (83)

24% (118)

Theme (v) foreskin cutting and socio-cultural beliefs

Allowing blood to flow when the foreskin is split or removed is important in my custom/culture

Yes

21% (76)

26% (102)

30% (26)

.067

24% (204)

7% (33)

< .001

No

42% (151)

46% (180)

38% (33)

43% (364)

25% (121)

Unsure

40% (133)

28% (111)

32% (28)

32% (272)

68% (326)

A man needs to eat special food in the days after having his foreskin split or removed

Yes

46% (166)

71% (278)

61% (53)

< .001

59% (497)

25% (123)

< .001

No

7% (26)

11% (42)

18% (16)

10% (84)

10% (47)

Unsure

47% (170)

18% (70)

21% (18)

31% (258)

65% (311)

A man needs to reduce the amount of water he drinks in the days after having his foreskin split or removed

Yes

52% (188)

85% (333)

72% (63)

< .001

69% (584)

22% (107)

< .001

No

7% (26)

5% (19)

13% (11)

7% (56)

10% (49)

Unsure

41% (148)

10% (41)

15% (13)

24% (202)

68% (327)

A man needs to avoid women in the days after having his foreskin split or removed

Yes

68% (245)

91% (355)

90% (78)

< .001

81% (678)

48% (230)

< .001

No

4% (16)

3% (10)

2% (2)

3% (28)

4% (18)

Unsure

28% (101)

7% (27)

8% (7)

16% (135)

48% (232)

A split foreskin makes a man’s body grow strong

Yes

30% (108)

54% (213)

43% (37)

< .001

43% (358)

16% (76)

< .001

No

11% (39)

9% (36)

16% (14)

11% (89)

12% (56)

Unsure

59% (210)

37% (144)

41% (35)

46% (389)

72% (349)

A round cut makes a man’s body grow strong

Yes

31% (111)

53% (209)

50% (44)

.001

43% (364)

18% (86)

< .001

No

9% (33)

7% (27)

14% (12)

9% (72)

11% (52)

Unsure

60% (217)

40% (156)

36% (32)

48% (405)

71% (343)

A split foreskin makes the penis grow bigger

Yes

31% (111)

53% (206)

37% (32)

< .001

42% (349)

11% (52)

< .001

No

9% (33)

14% (55)

19% (16)

12% (104)

13% (61)

Unsure

60% (217)

33% (131)

44% (38)

46% (386)

76% (369)

A round cut makes the penis grow bigger

Yes

31% (112)

48% (189)

42% (37)

< .001

40% (338)

14% (68)

< .001

No

10% (35)

14% (54)

22% (19)

13% (108)

11.5% (55)

Unsure

59% (214)

38% (149)

36% (32)

47% (395)

74.5% (358)