Table 4.

Main themes from the semi-structured interviews with PLHIV in Gulu, Northern Uganda

Personal barriers to using contraception	Bad experiences with using some methods, fear of side effects, health concerns, and reduced sensation.
	Spousal opposition to family planning methods
	Religious affiliation
Perceptions of family planning methods	Positive perceptions
	Negative perceptions (among clients and health workers): • To condoms • To male vasectomy
Decision making	Male dominated
Covert use of family planning methods	Women surreptitiously receive injectables or implants at family planning clinics
	Clients keep the records at the health centre
Targeting of females for family planning services	Program managers mainly targeted females
	Men reluctant to do vasectomy but send spouses for sterilization
	Client perception that family planning was women's business
Structural barriers to using contraception	Lack of health workers trained in family planning provision and counselling
	Very few doctors in the region as a result of the civil conflict
	Only two family planning clinics based in Gulu town serving the whole population
	Male and female sterilization services delivered by Kampala-based medical staff
	Family planning services did not specifically target PLHIV
	No specific family planning programs for PLHIV in HIV clinics
	Lack of referral systems and lack of collaboration between health facilities