Knowledge and attitude of pregnant women regarding HIV transmission, prevention and associated factors in Karachi, Pakistan - A cross-sectional study

Understanding Women's Knowledge, Awareness, and Perceptions of STIs/STDs in Asia: A Scoping Review

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to conduct a scoping review to collect current literature on the knowledge, awareness, and perception (KAP) of sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STIs/STDs) among women in Asia.

METHODOLOGY

The PRISMA-Scoping methodology was used in this study to extract papers from four databases published between 2018 and 2022. Sixty-eight articles were included after screening and elimination.

RESULTS

The studies on KAP of STIs/STDs among women were largely undertaken in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam) and South Asia (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh). Regardless of the specific cohort of women studied, research indicates consistently low levels of knowledge and awareness across Asia. This trend seems to be more prevalent among female commercial sex workers, women with lower educational levels, and those in poorer socioeconomic positions. In South Asia, cultural, sociological, economic, and gender inequalities, particularly male domination, all have a significant impact on KAP levels.

CONCLUSION

As education is a major factor that influences health behaviour, this review underscores the need to allocate more resources to educational initiatives, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as sex workers, transgender women, pregnant women, and rural housewives. This strategic focus may contribute significantly to preventing STIs/STDs, particularly in less developed regions/countries.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of knowledge on PMTCT of HIV/AIDS and Association factors among reproductive age women in Ethiopia, 2022

BACKGROUND

Despite increased interventions implemented for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, There is still a vertical transmission. Hence, this study tried to assess the pooled prevalence of knowledge on PMTCT and factors associated with residence, ANC follow-up, and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among reproductive age women in Ethiopia.

METHODS

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed to review either published or unpublished studies in Ethiopia regarding knowledge on PMTCT. A comprehensive search of international databases, including Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, PubMed, HINARI, Embrace, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, CINAHL, and Global Health, were searched. The data were analyzed using STATA/SE version 14. The random-effect model was used to estimate the effect size, and I-squared statistics and Egger's test were used to assess the heterogeneity and publication bias, respectively.

RESULTS

14 out of 14,091 assessed articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The estimated pooled level of knowledge on PMTCT among reproductive-age groups was 62.15% [(95% CI: 43.63-80.66)]. Residence [(OR = 4.8, 95%CI: 2.99, 7.85)], ANC follow-up [(OR = 4.2, 95%CI: 2.21, 7.98)], and having sufficient knowledge about the diseases [(OR = 4.9, 95% CI: 3.6, 6.66)] were found to be significant predictors of knowledge on PMTCT among reproductive-age groups.

CONCLUSION

Strategies to improve the knowledge of PMTCT in Ethiopia should focus on rural women, improving knowledge about HIV/AIDS, and ANC follow-up. Efforts are also needed to involve husbands and related organization in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV.

The Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV/AIDS Transmission at Public Health Centers: A Phenomenology Study

Objective:

Mothers with HIV are likely to transmit the virus to their babies during pregnancy, delivery, or through breastfeeding. According to studies, the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission among mothers that do not receive any form of treatment during pregnancy is approximately 15-45%. In Indonesia, the lack of a prevention program for HIV led to the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). The policies, financial facilities, the healthcare system, and human resources, including health workers, are factors that influence the PMTCT. This research discusses the perceptions of several doctors and midwives regarding the prevention of mother-to-child transmission at public health centers. Furthermore, information regarding policies and implementation of the PMTCT program at public health centers in Yogyakarta was qualitatively collected through semi-structured interviews.

Methods:

This research involved 6 participants, comprising of 3 heads of public health centers and 3 midwives as the HIV/AIDS program managers. A total of 5 themes were selected for the interview, namely policies of mandatory HIV testing for pregnant mothers, inadequate knowledge of the virus, need for PMTCT training, infrastructure and facilities, and HIV retesting.

Results:

Pregnant mothers are at potential risk of exposing health workers to HIV. They are also prone to contracting the virus due to poor educational background and less exposure to health information. Therefore, midwives need Prongs 3 and 4 to avoid contracting the virus while assisting pregnant mothers. Presently, there is a shortage of health promotion media for PMTCT, which include both electronic and print educational media. Therefore, the implementation of HIV testing in Indonesia is mandatory for pregnant mothers at their first antenatal care (ANC). However, despite the importance of conducting this test before labor, there is no regulation to ensure its implementation.

Conclusion:

The success of HIV mitigation is closely associated with the participation of academicians, policymakers, and community networks in providing collaborative planning strategies for the reduction of its spread, and evaluation of the mitigation result.

HIV knowledge and attitudes among minority pregnant patients and their non-pregnant partners in an urban hospital clinic

OBJECTIVE

HIV seroconversion during pregnancy disproportionately affects urban, minority pregnant individuals. In order to prevent perinatal HIV transmission, it is essential that individuals are aware of HIV risk factors and effective transmission prevention strategies are employed. Thus, we aimed to examine knowledge about HIV transmission and attitudes about HIV among low-income, minority pregnant individuals and their partners living in a high HIV prevalence area.

METHODS

In this qualitative study, pregnant participants were HIV-seronegative individuals receiving publicly-funded prenatal care in an urban academic center in the United States. Pregnant individuals and their partners were recruited to participate in a quality improvement program offering HIV testing to partners of pregnant people. Semi-structured guides were used to conduct individual interviews about participant sources of information about HIV, knowledge about transmission, and attitudes regarding those living with HIV. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method to determine themes and subthemes.

RESULTS

Of 51 participants, 29 were pregnant individuals and 22 were non-pregnant partners. We found that inaccurate knowledge about perinatal HIV transmission was prevalent. Sources of information about HIV included reputable literary information or educational experiences, broadcast media, and word-of-mouth sources. Participants held dichotomous perceptions of people living with HIV.

CONCLUSIONS

Among low-income, minority pregnant people and their partners in a high HIV prevalence area, inaccuracies and lack of knowledge about HIV transmission were common. Efforts to educate pregnant individuals and their partners about HIV and perinatal HIV transmission should address common misconceptions and use popular sources of information.

Factors Associated with the Behavior of Men who Have Sex with Men in the Prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission

Background: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS transmission caused by the behavior of men who have sex with men (MSM) is still a concern. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with MSM behavior in relation to the prevention of HIV transmission. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. The total sample was 176 respondents determined using consecutive sampling technique. The variables consist of demographic data, knowledge, attitude, beliefs, the accessibility of the health facilities, health-related skills, peer support, health care provider support and the prevention behavior concerning HIV transmission. The data was obtained using a questionnaire and it was analyzed using Chi-square and ordinal logistic regression. Results: From the sample of 176 MSM, the behavior of the prevention of HIV transmission was 43.75%, which is a moderate level. Through ordinal logistic regression, we found that knowledge [OR:1.171, CI: 0.414-1.929] and peer support [OR: 1.902, CI: 0.721, 3.082] are more likely to prevent HIV transmission. Conclusion: Knowledge and peer support are known to be very important factors concerning the behavior engaged in the prevention of HIV transmission. Increasing the level of knowledge and increasing the youth networks in the form of groups as a form of support can be promoted by nurses, health workers, and the community in order to prevent HIV transmission.