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African Health Sciences
Makerere University Medical School
ISSN: 1680-6905 EISSN: 1680-6905
Vol. 11, No. 1, 2011, pp. 30 - 35
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Bioline Code: hs11005
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
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African Health Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 1, 2011, pp. 30 - 35
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Acceptability of counselling and testing for HIV infection in women in labour at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
Bello, F.A.; Ogunbode, O.O.; Adesina, O.A.; Olayemi, O.; Awonuga, O.M. & Adewole, I.F.
Abstract
Background: Many patients are referred to labour ward as emergencies, and therefore do not benefit from the antenatal HIV counselling and testing and treatment offered to registered patients.
Objective: To assess the acceptability and suitability of offering HIV counselling and testing to women of unknown HIV status presenting in labour.
Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising counselling and obtaining consent for HIV testing among 104 unregistered patients who presented in labour over a 3-month period. Rapid and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay screening was performed for 90 consenting respondents. Reactive results were confirmed by Western blot. Appropriate therapy was instituted.
Results: Acceptance rate for HIV testing was 86.5%, prevalence of HIV was 6.7%. Women of lower educational status were more likely to accept testing in labour (OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-0.7; p=0.01); age, parity, occupation and knowledge of HIV had no influence. Most women (66.3%) had satisfactory knowledge of HIV. No one admitted to feeling coerced to test in fear of being denied care. Most refusals for screening were to avoid needle pricks (28.6%). Compared to ELISA screening test, specificity of the rapid test was 100%, sensitivity 85.7%, positive predictive value 100% and negative predictive value 98.8%. Attitude to testing was maintained on post-partum re-evaluation.
Conclusion: The prevalence of HIV amongst unregistered parturients showed the importance of offering point-of-care HIV testing and intervention, especially in an environment where antenatal clinic attendance is poor. Rapid testing appeared to be acceptable and feasible in labour to prevent the mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Keywords
HIV infection, rapid screening, labour
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© Copyright 2011 African Health Sciences.
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