Abstract:

This study assessed the knowledge of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV/AIDS and the determinants of this knowledge among women living with HIV who received PMTCT services in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This cross-sectional study used data from a structured questionnaire from postpartum mothers living with HIV who were at least two months post-partum between January – March 2023 and had received PMTCT services during the PMTCT scale-up period (January 2022 – December 2022) across 13 health facilities in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria. Knowledge of PMTCT was categorized as 'good' if participants scored ≥ cut-off score using the demarcation threshold formula. Proportions of women with good knowledge of PMTCT services were compared using the Chi-square test, while logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with good PMTCT knowledge. All analyses were conducted using STATA 14.0. Of the 631 women, 215 (34.1%) were identified and enrolled on PMTCT at community birth centres, while 416 (65.9%) were at the health facility. Overall, 82.2% (518/630) of respondents had good knowledge of PMTCT, and higher among respondents from health facilities (n = 86%, 358/415), compared to those from the community birth centres (n = 74%, 160/215, p<0.001). Among respondents who were identified in the community birth centres, PMTCT knowledge was 2.5 times higher among those residents in the urban compared to those residents in the rural area (aOR=2.522; 95%CI = 1.025-6.202). To improve PMTCT knowledge, targeted information should be provided to women receiving prenatal care at community birth centres and those living in rural areas.

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