RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) among pregnant women in Port Moresby has increased tenfold, from 0.08% in 1994 to 0.8% in 2002. To stop a further epidemic spread as seen in sub-Saharan Africa it is urgent to identify and intervene to reduce risk behaviours. In order to do so it is important to evaluate current awareness of and attitude towards HIV. METHODS: Interviews with 122 pregnant women were conducted at the Antenatal Clinic, Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea. We assessed the women's HIV awareness and relate the results to education and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: 4 out of 122 women did not know about HIV. 97% knew that HIV is spread by sexual contacts, 96% knew about mother-to-child transmission and 69% knew about infection through breastfeeding. However, there were many misconceptions; 36% believed that HIV can be spread by mosquitoes and 17% believed that caring for an AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) patient is a risk. Among the women with no education or primary school education only, 51% knew for sure that HIV is not spread by caring for an AIDS patient, compared to 86% for the women with higher education. 47% of the women received their first information about HIV through the media. CONCLUSIONS: The AIDS campaigns have been successful in making almost all the women aware of HIV as a sexually transmitted disease. However, the high frequency of misconceptions makes it probable that patients are stigmatized. This is particularly true for the lower educated women. To more effectively fight the HIV epidemic it is important to improve the general level of education of both men and women, to encourage women to be more in charge of their own sexuality and to increase their status in society. It is also important to make men aware of their responsibility to practise safe sex.