TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived risks and benefits of HIV testing, and predictors of acceptance of HIV counselling and testing among pregnant women in Zimbabwe
AU - Martin-Herz, Susanne P.
AU - Shetty, Avinash K.
AU - Bassett, Mary T.
AU - Ley, Catherine
AU - Mhazo, Miriam
AU - Moyo, Sostain
AU - Herz, Arnd M.
AU - Katzenstein, David
PY - 2006/12/1
Y1 - 2006/12/1
N2 - This project evaluated perceived risks and benefits and determined predictors of acceptance of voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT) among pregnant women in Zimbabwe. One hundred and seventy pregnant women attending an urban antenatal clinic were surveyed. Implications of a negative or positive HIV test result and of telling a partner or community members that one is HIV positive were queried. Forty women (23.5%) consented to VCT, and 16 (40%) were HIV positive. Women who saw VCT as lower risk (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.1-5.0]) and women who had had a stillbirth or child die (OR = 0.4, 95% CI [0.16-0.97]) were more likely to consent. Prenatal HIV VCT offers the best opportunity for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; however, less than 25% of women consented. If such interventions are to be successful, attention must be directed towards developing culturally appropriate strategies to address women's concerns and improve future acceptance of VCT in Zimbabwe.
AB - This project evaluated perceived risks and benefits and determined predictors of acceptance of voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT) among pregnant women in Zimbabwe. One hundred and seventy pregnant women attending an urban antenatal clinic were surveyed. Implications of a negative or positive HIV test result and of telling a partner or community members that one is HIV positive were queried. Forty women (23.5%) consented to VCT, and 16 (40%) were HIV positive. Women who saw VCT as lower risk (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.1-5.0]) and women who had had a stillbirth or child die (OR = 0.4, 95% CI [0.16-0.97]) were more likely to consent. Prenatal HIV VCT offers the best opportunity for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; however, less than 25% of women consented. If such interventions are to be successful, attention must be directed towards developing culturally appropriate strategies to address women's concerns and improve future acceptance of VCT in Zimbabwe.
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U2 - 10.1258/095646206779307630
DO - 10.1258/095646206779307630
M3 - Article
C2 - 17212862
AN - SCOPUS:33846114725
SN - 0956-4624
VL - 17
SP - 835
EP - 841
JO - International Journal of STD and AIDS
JF - International Journal of STD and AIDS
IS - 12
ER -
