FACTORS INFLUENCING THE UPTAKE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND TESTING (VCT) OF HIV IN ANTENATAL CLINIC IN AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL ZARIA.
FACTORS INFLUENCING THE UPTAKE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND TESTING (VCT) OF HIV IN ANTENATAL CLINIC IN AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL ZARIA.
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Date
2005-02
Authors
ADELAIYE, R. S.
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
With the increase of awareness of mother to child transmission and ways to prevent
the transmission, voluntary counselling and testing has been found to be a useful
tool, and this work was therefore designed to study the factors that influence the
uptake of VCT among pregnant women in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching
Hospital, Zaria.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using the eligibility criteria in selecting the
221 ANC attendees and the total numbers of health workers in the ANC involved
with PMTCT (10) were taken as sample in the study. Information was obtained
through the use of interviewer- administered questionnaires.
The findings are as follows; a total of 221 ANC attendees were studied.94.6% was
aware of HIV/AIDS, 82.4% had knowledge of mother to child transmission and
81.4% had knowledge about PMTCT. In response to whether they were afraid of
HIV/AIDS, 89.1% said they were afraid of the disease because it was incurable.
HIV/AIDS is also associated with stigma and discrimination. The health workers
(80%) proffered fear of stigma and discrimination as reason for the low uptake of
VCT.
Of these ANC attendees interviewed, 50.7%said they were willing to be tested but
only 14.5% of the sample studied had been tested. Reasons for not willing to be
tested in 54% of the 221 attendees, were being afraid of stigma, discrimination and
ostracism if tested positive for HIV, 16.5% were sure of them selves; 6.4% were not
permitted by husband, 7.4% said they have not made up their minds 1.8% said they
were not informed and 9.2%said they were not interested and another 9.2% said
they had no reason.
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In conclusion, although VCT is acceptable in principle, much will need to be done to
allay women’s fears of stigmatisation and discrimination through intensive
counselling. This will also help in removing the ignorance of the attendees pertaining
to HIV/AIDS and VCT.
Description
Department of Community Medicine
Faculty of Medicine.
Keywords
FACTORS,, INFLUENCING,, UPTAKE,, VOLUNTARY,, COUNSELLING,, TESTING,, HIV,, ANTENATAL,, CLINIC, AHMADU,, BELLO,, UNIVERSITY,, TEACHING,, HOSPITAL,, ZARIA.