Factors Affecting Acceptance Of Voluntary Hiv Counceling And Testing Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care In Mekelle Public Health Facilities Mekelleethiopia

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Back ground: - Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is by far the largest source of HIVrninfection children below the age of 15 years. Globally there were an estimated 33 million peoplernliving with HIV in 2007. An estimated 370, 000 children under age 15 became infected with HIVrnin 2007 globally. Almost 90% live in sub-Saharan Africa. Around 90% of all children living withrnHIV acquired the infection from their mothers during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. Forrnwomen to take advantage of measures to reduce transmission, they need to know their HIVrnstatus. Despite this fact many women are not willing to take voluntary HIV counseling andrntesting.rnObjective: - To assess factors that contribute to the low uptake of HCT acceptance amongrnpregnant women attending antenatal care services in public facilities in Mekelle TownrnMethodology: - A health facility based cross sectional survey was conducted using structuredrnquestionnaire among 384 pregnant women following antenatal care (ANC) at selected healthrnfacilities of Tigray region, Mekelle town from February 2009-March 2009.rnResults: - A total of 384 pregnant women fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled in thernstudy with 100% of response rate. 353 (91.9%) knew that a mother with HIV can pass the virusrnto her child. 309 (80.5%) of the pregnant women had heard the existence of PMTCT in thernhealth facilities and 75 (19.5%) didn't know the existence of the program. 252 (65.6%) believedrnthey were at risk for getting HIV. 330(85.9%) discus freely about HIV testing with theirrnhusbands which had a significant association with accepting of HIV testing[(AOR (95%CI) = 7.1rn(2.78-18.09)]. And of those participants who had been tested 253 (74.6%) were during therncurrent pregnancy. 335(87.2%) of those who were tested received their test result. Both thernbivariate and the multivariate have shown that as the number of ANC visits increase thernlikelihood of accepting HCT among the pregnant women increases [(AOR (95%C.I =rn0.14(0.24-0.79)]. Getting pre-test counseling had a significant association with acceptance ofrnHIV testing among the pregnant mothers [(AOR (95%C.I) = 7.01 (2.77- 17.71)].rnConclusions: - Increasing frequency of antenatal care visits had a major role in spreadingrninformation on HIV/AIDS, MTCT and appears to be a significant factor to increase of HCTrnacceptance. Discussing freely about HIV sero status with partner is crucial for the acceptance ofrnHCT and successful management of the present and future pregnancies. Despite higherrnVIIIrnknowledge of HIV prevention still there are misconceptions influencing HCT/PMTCT uptakernlike as trust on God, self confidence, husbands faithfulness, fear of stigma and discrimination,rnthey do not want to know their status , could not tolerate the positive result and because ofrnuncertainty about the partners response on HIV testing result. Such factors affected acceptancernof HCT among pregnant mothers.rnRecommendations: - The health facilities should strengthen ANC services utilization andrndecrease missed opportunities for counseling and testing. To increase acceptance rate of HCT therngovernment, Regional health bureau, zonal health office and the facilities should prepare morernsources of information to be accessed by all the families and community members to educate onrnHIV/ AIDS, MTCT and PMTCT issues. Religious leaders, community leaders and other memberrnof the society should play their role through awareness creation and sensitization activities tornreduce the misconceptions of HIV infection among pregnant mothers.

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Factors Affecting Acceptance Of Voluntary Hiv Counceling And Testing Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care In Mekelle Public Health Facilities Mekelleethiopia

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