Knowledge of HIV/AIDS Transmission and Partner Notification Rate among Antenatal Care Attendees in a Tertiary Hospital in Southeast Nigeria

Aims: To assess knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission and determine the level of partner notification among HIV positive antenatal care attendees in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Study Design: A health facility based cross-sectional descriptive study.

Place and Duration of Study: Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria between January and April 2014.

Methodology: A total of 400 women attending antenatal care at Federal Teaching Hospital were selected using a systematic sampling technique. The clients were interviewed using a pre tested interviewer administered questionnaire. Good knowledge of HIV transmission was assessed by the proportion of clients who correctly answered 50% of the knowledge questions. Data analysis was done using SPSS statistical software version 20. Chi squared test of statistical significance was used in the analysis and level of significance was determined by a p value of less than 0.05.

Results: The mean age of respondents was 28±9.0 years. Majority were married (97%) and had formal education. All the respondents were aware of HIV and 84% had good knowledge of HIV transmission. Knowledge was significantly associated with marital status, educational attainment and employment status of respondents. Sero-prevalence rate among respondents was 1.8%. Partner notification among sero-positive antenatal care attendees was 42.9%.

Conclusion: Knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission was high among respondents, however partner notification rate among HIV positive respondents was 42.9%. This rate is low and need to be improved upon by awareness creation and encouragement of male involvement in antenatal care.