| dc.description.abstract | OBJECTIVE: The main objective of the study was to establish the determinants of knowledge on MTCT of HIV among pregnant women attending ANC in Ndola Urban District.
DESIGN: This was a cross sectional study, which took an analytical approach. Using a Likert scale, two groups of women were generated, one group was knowledgeable and the other was not knowledgeable. A structured interview schedule was used to establish the determinants of their knowledge.SETTINGS: The study covered six health centers, two from each of the three zones in Ndola Urban District in the Copperbelt province of Zambia.SUBJECTS: The subjects consisted of 300 consenting pregnant women who were randomly selected from antenatal clinics.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pregnant women's knowledge levels on MTCT of HIV measured as knowledgeable or not knowledgeable and factors that influenced the knowledge on MTCT of HIV among the pregnant women were seen as the main outcome measures.RESULTS: Out of 300 pregnant women who were enrolled for the study, 165 (55%) were knowledgeable and 135 (45%) were not knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV. Logistic regression revealed that pregnant women with no formal education and primary education were 85% (95% CI 0.03, 0.70) and 89% (95% CI 0.04, 0.30) less likely to be knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV than pregnant women who attained College/University education.Pregnant women who listened to the radio everyday were 2.23 (95% CI 1.47, 3.38) times more likely to be knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV than pregnant women who did not listen to the radio everyday.A statistically significant difference (p<0.001) was also observed in knowledge on MTCT of HIV between being able to read the education materials received and not being able to read. Healthcare provider's reception was independently associated with knowledge on MTCT of HIV. Compared to pregnant women who said the healthcare provider was not friendly, pregnant women who said the healthcare provider was friendly were 4.78 (2.40, 9.55) times more likely to be knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV.There was no association (p=0.724) between availability of VCT centers and knowledge on MTCT of HIV. Distance to VCT centers was independently associated with knowledge on MTCT of HIV. Pregnant women who stayed far away from VCT centers were 38% (95% CI 0.40, 0.96) less likely to be knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV than the pregnant women who stayed nearer to VCT centers. Compared to pregnant women who had never gone to VCT centers, pregnant women who had gone to VCT centers were 60% (95% CI 1.05, 2.45) more likely to be knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV.CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The study concluded that there was an association between education level; listening to the radio everyday; healthcare providers' reception; accessibility to VCT centers; going to VCT centers and knowledge on MTCT. The study also concluded that younger women aged between 15 and 24 were not knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV. The report concluded with recommendations that there was an urgent need for target specific interventions in disseminating of information; improving the utilization of VCT centers; intensifying lEC in healthcare settings; ensuring women aged 15-24 have access to the right information, education and services; and that both electronic media and print media should continue to be used in disseminating information on MTCT of HIV infection using local languages. | en_US |
