The study also determined that residence, education, and marital status were significantly associated with knowledge of HIV/AIDS and having ever been tested for HIV. UNAIDS Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS UNGASS United Nations General Assembly Special Session UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund.
Introduction
Background of Study
Voluntary Counselling and Testing
The counselor may also discuss the client's personal risk profile, including relationships and HIV prevention methods. If the person is HIV positive, the counselor provides emotional support and discusses how the client will cope.
Importance of VCT as an HIV Intervention Strategy
One of the key goals of DST is to enable behavior change to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS (USAID, 2002). Additionally, Patton describes thematic analysis as "the process of identifying, coding, and categorizing primary patterns in the data." In the fight against the further spread of HIV/AIDS, awareness of the existence of HIV/AIDS is very important (Ekanem and Gbadegesin, 2004).
Only about 20% of the respondents were ever tested for HIV/AIDS in the current study. The results indicate that the vast majority of pregnant women in Lesotho have heard of HIV/AIDS. However, there were some women in the study who did not know about PMTCT of HIV.
Voluntary HIV counseling and testing: an essential component in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
The Rational of the Study
Objectives of the Study
The main objective of the study is to provide more insight into the factors that facilitate or inhibit the use of VCT among pregnant women in Lesotho. To examine the association between socio-economic and demographic characteristics and VCT among pregnant women in Lesotho;.
The Conceptual Framework
The Theory of Planned Behaviour
In Tanzania, among primary school teachers, the theory of planned behavior has also been found to be an effective model for behavior change (Kakoko et al., 2006). According to Croyle (2005), the theory of planned behavior explores the relationship between an individual's beliefs, attitudes, intentions, behavior and perceived behavioral control (see Figure 1.2).
Review of Other Theories Related to the Study
Furthermore, these theories do not take into account individuals' propensity to change their behavior and subsequently their beliefs or attitudes about it. Parker (2004) also brought up the fact that many theories do not take into account the socio-economic context, culture and gender imbalances that influence behavior.
Organization of the Dissertation
Introduction
Impact of VCT as a Behavioural Change Strategy
Additionally, of the seven studies that reported data on unprotected sex, VCT recipients were found to be significantly less likely to engage in unprotected sex (Denison et al., 2008). In a study done in six countries in Africa and two in Europe, it was found that VCT did not encourage those who were infected to reduce their risk behavior (Study Group on HIV-1 Voluntary Counseling and Testing and Efficacy, 2000 ).
Factors Inhibiting VCT Uptake
- Stigma and Discrimination
- Accessibility of VCT Services
- Fear of Abuse
- Disclosure of HIV Status
- Lack of Confidentiality
- Cost Effectiveness of VCT
- Collection of HIV Test Results
- Fear of HIV Results
- Doubting the Existence of HIV
- VCT Services
- Age of Consent for VCT
In a study conducted in Cape Town, South Africa, it was found that 42% of participants did not disclose their HIV status to the people they had sex with (Simbayi et al., 2007). A study of miners in South Africa found that many people who took the HIV test did not return for the results of their test (Day et al., 2003).
Factors Facilitating VCT Uptake
- Desire to Know One’s HIV Status
- Perceived at Risk of HIV/AIDS
- Acceptability of VCT of HIV
- Marriage and VCT
- Influence from Others
- Couple Counselling
In their study on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Uganda, Mpairwe et al. 2005) found that women who perceived themselves to be at high risk of HIV infection were more receptive to VCT. In Burkina Faso, the rate of VCT uptake among pregnant women was independently associated with age (Pignatelli et al., 2006). Therefore, in the community survey on VCT in Nakuru, Kenya, the majority of respondents preferred paired testing (Irungu et al., 2008).
Summary
Introduction
Study Settings
The three largest religious organizations in Lesotho are the Roman Catholic Church, the Evangelical Church of Lesotho and the Anglican Church of Lesotho. However, like much of southern Africa, the country has experienced a series of droughts in recent years and an AIDS pandemic (as the most productive population falls ill and dies from the disease), which has led to acute food shortages and severe famine in the country (Lesotho National Human Development Report, 2007). Water is one of the most important resources in Lesotho and is often referred to as.
Triangulation Method
Quantitative Methodology
However, the present study dealt with pregnant women and therefore the number of women who were pregnant in the sample was 3364. The present study uses secondary data which limits the researcher to the questions asked in the 2004 LDHS. As such, some of the variables that are very crucial to the present study, such as attitudes towards VCT, were not asked in the survey.
Qualitative Methodology
According to Patton (2002), the focus group should be a homogeneous group of people; therefore, in the current study, a group of pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic was selected. Finally, respondents were asked to complete a consent form, indicating their willingness to participate in the study. The responses from the focus group discussions were recorded with the respondent's permission.
Summary
Along with notes made by the researcher, the responses were later transcribed so that they could be coded and analyzed using a qualitative data analysis package (Nvivo). This could affect the results as some words are not easily translated. However, the themes were guided by the literature and other conducted studies that were relevant to this study.
Introduction
Socio-demographic Characteristics of the Sample
Awareness of HIV/AIDS
Knowledge of Means of Preventing HIV/AIDS
As illustrated in Table 4.5, about 59% of the respondents were aware that using condoms during sexual intercourse could prevent people from HIV/AIDS. In contrast, the majority (74%) did not believe that having only one sexual partner could prevent people from becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. In addition, there were some respondents who mentioned that during antenatal visits they learned about ways to prevent HIV/AIDS.
Awareness of Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV
Awareness of HIV Life-Saving Drugs
A little more than half of the respondents did not know about such medicine that can be given to babies to avoid them being infected from their mothers. However, about 53% of respondents mentioned that they knew about drugs given to positive people. It was disturbing to find that close to half of the respondents did not know about medicines given to babies for PMTCT and to other HIV positive people.
Awareness of VCT
Knowledge of a Place to Obtain HIV Test
Socio-demographic Characteristics of Respondents who have Ever been
The majority (24.2%) of respondents who were not married and not cohabiting had ever been tested for HIV, compared to about 20% of women who were not married but cohabiting, and 18% of women who were married . The results of the logistic regression show that place of residence and education are statistically associated with having ever been tested for HIV/AIDS. The likelihood of testing was higher for respondents who were not married and not cohabiting (1,171) than those who were married and those who were not married but cohabiting.
Summary
Introduction
Knowledge of VCT
However, the women were keen to know more about VCT and said that if they were given information about VCT, they would like to know its importance. The majority of women in the study had never attended VCT services, but they heard about VCT on the radio, at schools, community meetings, in the clinic and through HIV workshops. As such, the way people gathered information about VCT was considered important as this will provide people with information not only about VCT but also about HIV/AIDS in general.
Knowledge of Vertical Transmission
She should only continue to breastfeed until the baby is ready to start eating. Another thing is that a woman must use the birth control pill she takes during childbirth, and this will prevent the child from becoming infected. A woman should also not give birth at home, but must go to the clinic or hospital, especially if she is infected, so that she is given medicine that prevents her from infecting the child (Rural FGD).
Knowing One’s Status
WHO such as primary prevention of HIV among expectant parents, preventing unwanted pregnancies in women with HIV, terminating pregnancies where this is legal (Jackson, 2002). However, in the current study, participants were unaware of or did not mention these factors. It is important to raise awareness of the importance of VCT so that these services can be utilized and thus contribute to preventing the further spread of HIV/AIDS.
Fear of Positive Results
Stigma and Discrimination
Fear of Violence and Rejection
Lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and misconceptions can lead to more people becoming infected with HIV. The silence surrounding HIV/AIDS is a contributing factor to the lack of knowledge about this pandemic. Respondents emphasized the importance of educating people, especially those living in rural areas, about the impact of HIV/AIDS.
Permission to Seek VCT
They mention that people still do not have the right information, as some still associate HIV/AIDS with witchcraft or bad sexual behavior. In addition, the women expressed concern that this lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS will continue to kill many people if there are no interventions. However, there were some women who felt that their husband might not take the positive test results lightly.
Disclosure of Positive Results
They believed that fear; stigma and discrimination may frighten their husbands if they discover that their partners are HIV positive and this may lead to negative consequences for them. When asked why they were unwilling to reveal their status to other people, respondents said,. Other people can talk about you everywhere and tell everyone that you are HIV positive and that's why I can't tell my relatives or anyone else except my family (Urban FGD).
Risk and Prevention Behaviour
The belief that the respondents are not at risk of HIV infection because they are faithful to one partner can lead to many people becoming infected. Another woman told the story of a woman who was faithful to her husband but now has HIV. They mentioned that they got advice from the antenatal clinics about how to be faithful to one partner.
Accessibility and Availability of VCT Services
It was evident that most respondents, especially those from rural areas, were unaware of the impact of VCT on behavior change. In the clinic we learn how to protect ourselves by using condoms if we have more than one partner and how to be faithful to our spouses (Urban FGD). After guidance, people can begin to understand the importance of using condoms (National FGD).
Improving on VCT
Sometimes you find that some of the HIV testing equipment is not available and we have to wait until they arrive and it usually takes time to arrive (Rural FGD). In these areas, there are still some people who are not aware of HIV or VCT. I think that everyone should be forced to take the test, as is done with pregnant women, because if people are given the choice to take the test, they are not willing to do it (Rural FGD).
Summary
The women in the study suggested routine tests for everyone, just as it is done for pregnant women. They also noted the importance of breaking the silence surrounding AIDS to normalize it as any other chronic disease. We should break the silence and talk about HIV to everyone and let others know that HIV is a reality and it exists.
Introduction
Summary of Findings
As such, it was clear that the lack of availability and accessibility of VCT services was a barrier to accessing VCT services. Although there were some respondents in the current study who were unaware of VCT services and wanted to learn more about them, it was interesting to find that respondents believed they could get more information about them. However, willingness to go for VCT is different from taking a test as people may be aware of VCT services but ultimately do not go for a test for fear of HIV positive results.
Recommendations
To encourage more people to access VCT services, concerns have been raised that people should stop hiding their HIV status, as this will normalize and destigmatise it. Furthermore, respondents suggested routine testing for the entire population, as this would break the silence surrounding AIDS and normalize it. This will reduce the burden on women to disclose the positive results to other people, including the husband.
Conclusion
Uptake of HIV Counseling and Voluntary Testing and Treatment among Pregnant Women in Kumasi Ghana. Attitudes toward voluntary HIV counseling and testing among pregnant women in rural southwestern Uganda. Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing (VCT) in Malawi: Public Perspectives and Recent VCT Experiences.
Focus Group Discussion Guide
