Knowledge about mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS, its prevention and associated factors among reproductive-age women in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 33 countries recent Demographic and Health Surveys

Achamyeleh Birhanu Teshale, Zemenu Tadesse Tessema, Adugnaw Zeleke Alem, Yigizie Yeshaw, Alemneh Mekuriaw Liyew, Tesfa Sewunet Alamneh, Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema and Misganaw Gebrie Worku

PLOS ONE, 2021, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: Background: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 90 percent of babies acquired HIV/AIDS from infected mothers. Maternal knowledge about mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV/AIDS and its prevention is a cornerstone for elimination of MTCT of HIV/AIDS. Despite this, there is limited evidence about knowledge about MTCT of HIV/AIDS and its prevention and associated factors in SSA. Therefore, this study aimed to assess knowledge of MTCT of HIV/AIDS, its prevention (PMTCT) and, associated factors among reproductive-age women in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: To assess Knowledge about mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS and its prevention and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: The recent SSA countries’ Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), which were conducted from 2008/09 to 2018/19, was our data source. We appended 33 countries’ DHS data for our analysis. For our study, a total weighted sample of 350,888 reproductive-age women was used. Due to the hierarchical nature of the DHS data, we conducted a multilevel analysis. Finally, the adjusted odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval was reported, and variables with p-value≤0.05 were considered as significant predictors of knowledge of MTCT of HIV/AIDS and its prevention. Results: In this study, 56.21% (95% CI: 56.05–56.38) of respondents had correct knowledge about MTCT of HIV/AIDS and its prevention among reproductive-age women in SSA. In the multilevel logistic regression analysis: being in the older age group, better education level, being from a rich household, having mass media exposure, having parity of one and above were associated with higher odds of knowledge about MTCT of HIV/AIDS and its prevention. However, being perceiving distance from the health facility as a big problem was associated with lower odds of knowledge about MTCT of HIV/AIDS and its prevention. Conclusion: Knowledge about MTCT of HIV/AIDS and its prevention among reproductive-age women in SSA was low. Therefore, it is better to consider the high-risk groups during the intervention to increase awareness about this essential public health issue and to tackle its devastating outcome.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0253164

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253164

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