Knowledge Attitudes and Practice of Antenatal Mothers on HIV/AIDS and their Satisfaction with PMTCT Program in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Edward Anthony Goka, 郭安華
• Other Authors: Yi-Ming Arthur Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/65591654929191116643

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 公共衛生研究所 === 94 === Abstract Introduction: There has been an increase in the ratio of female HIV cases in Taiwan over the past three years. In 2003, the male to female ratio was 20:1, however, in 2004, the ratio reduced to 12:1. It further decreased to 7 males to 1 female in 2005. The increasing numbers of women infected with the HIV virus therefore means an increasing danger of mother-to-child transmission of the HIV virus. The Taiwan Government instituted a Prevention of Mother-to- Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) Program in January 2005. For the program to be successful educational programs designed to change mother’s preventive behavior are to be salient for the target audience. The objectives of this study were to find out the Taiwanese pregnant mother’s knowledge and attitudes and their relationship with uptake of HIV test and to investigate their satisfaction level with the PMTCT service in the chosen hospitals. Methods: We conducted an exploratory quantitative study using the health belief model. The study was conducted in four hospitals offering the PMTCT program in Taiwan. All women attending antenatal clinic during the study period were asked to participate and those who accepted were asked to fill in a questionnaire. A sample of 496 pregnant women was drawn from all the three regions of the country of which 100 women were drawn from Chang-Gung Memorial hospital; 100 from Taipei City Hoping Hospital 200 from Changhua Christian Hospital and 96 from Yuan’s General hospital. Data was collected from January 10, 2006 to 18th May, 2006. Results: In this study, 73% of the respondents were aged between 25 – 34 years. 52.3% had university and above education, 96% were married and more than half of the women (59.1%) had a household income of ≥ NT$ 50,001 and only 1.9% earns less than NT$ 16,000. 30.2% were housewife’s and 27.7% were engaged in business and 98.8% were covered by the National Health Insurance. Abortion was a little high, 140 (28.9%, n = 496) women ever had one or more abortions. While contraceptive use was very high. 433 (87.3%, n = 496) ever used one or more contraceptives. Women demonstrated good general knowledge about HIV transmission. The mean knowledge score was 11.56, SD ±1.54 and range: 5 -14, out of 14 knowledge questions. However women were less knowledgeable about possibility of vertical II transmission due to breastfeeding and that ARV’s can prevent vertical transmission. Sixty seven point nine percent (67.9%) did not know that if ARVs are administered to a baby born of an HIV positive mother during its first month of life, they can prevent a baby from contracting the virus. 62.5% were not aware that if ARVs are administered to the mother during pregnancy and delivery, they can prevent a baby from contracting the HIV virus from an HIV positive mother and 32.7% did not know the danger of HIV transmission through breastfeeding. On the other hand women had favorable attitude about HIV/AIDS issues and testing for HIV during pregnancy. Mean attitude score was 31.84 (SD ± 4.09) and range: 20 - 41 for the 11 attitude questions. Ninety eight point seven percent (98.7%) strongly agreed and agreed that to have HIV testing done when pregnant is beneficial to the mother and unborn child. However risk perception was low, 66.9% of the women thought they have no risk of getting HIV virus. In a bivariate Chi-Square analysis, the factors that were associated with HIV test acceptance were: Hospital attended, length of marriage, number of children (parity), religion, age, knowledge level, perceived risk, whether the woman ever attended a prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV counseling session and whether the woman or her spouse ever thought of testing for HIV before. While in the logistic model, the number of significant explanatory variables was reduced to four (4); Hospital attended, ever attended PMTCT counseling, mother or spouse ever thought of testing for HIV. Conclusion: Knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV-AIDS are good among pregnant women in Taiwan. In a bivariate analysis, uptake depended on: Hospital attended length of marriage, number of children (parity), religion, age, knowledge level and perceived risk, whether the woman ever attended a prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV counseling session and whether the woman or her spouse ever thought of testing for HIV before. While in the logistic model, the number of significant explanatory variables was reduced to four (4); Hospital attended, ever attended PMTCT counseling, mother or spouse ever thought of testing for HIV. If pregnant mothers are to fully participate in and benefit from the Mother-to-Child transmission prevention efforts, hospitals should adopt better counseling policies, education messages should emphasize benefit of anti-retravirals, and mother’s partners must be involved and committed in HIV testing during pregnancy.