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Abstract
HIV testing during pregnancy: Can it be improved?
K M Kwalombota
Medical Students AIDS Initiative, Lusaka, Zambia
Background
The study sought to find out what factors prevent the widespread acceptance of HIV testing during pregnancy and to what extent intervention is possible. Study specifically sought to see to what extent parity, education and knowledge of anitretroviral drugs and other interventions that reduce vertical transmission would influence HIV testing during pregnancy.
Methods
A structured questionnaire was administered to 72 women who were attending antenatal clinics at a local urban clinic (Chilenje). The participants were selected at random and were not stratified in any way. The factors that were investigated were education level, parity, consideration or actual taking of the HIV test in pregnancy, if they had heard of strategies that reduce vertical transmission and whether they would take the test after hearing of the strategies.
Results
47.5% (n=40) of those who went to secondary school or higher said that they would not take the test, while 37.5% (n=32) of those who had primary education or less said that they would not take the test. 44.4% (n=36) of primagravidas said that they would not take the test, while 33.3% (n=36) of the multigravidas said that they would take the test. 94.4% (n=68) of the respondents had not heard of the drugs or other strategies that reduce vertical transmission, and only 5.6% (n=4) said that they had heard of these strategies. 77.8% (n=56) of the respondents said that they would take the test if they had known about the strategies, while 22.2% (n=16) said that they would not take the test regardless of the strategies.
Conclusions
Women with more education (secondary or higher) are less likely to do the HIV testing in pregnancy. Multigravidas are more willing to take the test than primagravidas. Awareness of vertical transmission strategies is extremely low in Africa, and if the these strategies were known, a larger number of pregnant women would agree to have the HIV test.
The XIV International AIDS Conference
Abstract no.
D11226
Suggested Citation
" K M Kwalombota ,
HIV testing during pregnancy: Can it be improved?
.
Print Only:
The XIV International AIDS Conference:
Abstract no.
D11226"
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