Men care too: a qualitative study examining women's perceptions of fathers' engagement in early childhood development (ECD) during an ECD program for HIV-positive mothers in Malawi.

Objectives: Integrated early childhood development (ECD) and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions rarely target fathers, a missed opportunity given existing research demonstrating that father involvement improves maternal and child outcomes. We aimed to explore mother's perceptions of fathers' buy-in to an integrated PMTCT-ECD programme, any impact the programme had on couple dynamics, and perceived barriers to fathers' involvement in ECD activities.

Design: Qualitative study using individual in-depth interviews with mothers participating in a PMTCT-ECD programme.

Integrated early childhood development services improve mothers' experiences with prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) programs in Malawi: a qualitative study.

Background: HIV-positive mothers who face the dual burden of HIV-positive status and motherhood, may benefit from holistic services that include early childhood development (ECD). We evaluated the acceptability and impact of integrated ECD-PMTCT interventions for mothers and their children.

Methods: We implemented an integrated ECD-PMTCT intervention in 4 health facilities in Malawi for HIV-positive mothers and their infants.