Intention to HIV Testing Among Pregnant Women, Areka Town, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Despite an increase in the number of health facilities providing prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in Ethiopia, the proportion of HIV-positive pregnant women who receive antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) for PMTCT remains low. This study aims at determining intention to HIV testing among pregnant women, in Southern Ethiopia.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study design was conducted in Areka town in Jan 2013. The study recruits a sample of 380 study pregnant mothers. Theory of planned behavior was used to assess intention , attitude subjective norms and perceived behavioral control towards  HIV testing. The data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 statistical package. Bivariate analysis was carried to examine the association between intention and TPB constructs and multiple linear regressions was carried out to identify independent predictors of intention of HIV testing among pregnant women. Result: TPB measures explained 42% of the total variability in the intention to HIV testing among pregnant women. Among the constructs of TPB, perceived behavioral control (β=.51(p<0.01), Attitude (β=.20 (p<0.01) and subjective norm (β=.16(p<0.01) were found as significant predictors with their respective strength of association. Most Socio-demographic variables did not predict the intention to HIV test. However, Perceived susceptibility (β = -0.12) and age (β = -0.09) were also found as significant predictors of intention to HIV testing among distal variables.  Conclusion: Perceived behavioral control was found to be best predictor of behavioral intention followed by attitude to HIV test and subjective norm. Control beliefs relatively higher in explaining intention compared to behavioral beliefs and normative beliefs. Based on the findings, due attention should be given for designing persuasive message aimed at increasing power of control that enable women to evaluate their control belief positively and increase positive attitude towards outcome of HIV testing.

Keywords: intention, HIV test, pregnancy