Knowledge of HIV and its transmission by women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) attending HIV clinic in lagos university teaching hospital (Luth), Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

The scourge of HIV/AIDS is a serious problem that cannot be overemphasized. Half of all HIV infections occur in women in Africa. Young women are particularly at risk and they are the child-bearing population. About 90% of MTCT infections occur in Africa. MTCT of HIV can occur at any stage of pregnancy. The study was designed to be a baseline survey which would help document the knowledge of Women living with HIV/AIDS and its transmission modes and the PMTCT programme of the HIV Clinic in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital can be used as template for future work. A survey of women attending the HIV Clinic in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idiaraba (LUTH) was carried out. Pretested questionnaires were administered to the target population at the HIV Clinic to document their knowledge of HIV and its transmission including awareness of the PMTCT services in the hospital. The results obtained revealed that though many of them are knowledgeable about the modes of transmission of HIV, most of them do not know of the existence of a PMTCT service in the hospital. It can be concluded that respondents in this survey were knowledgeable about HIV and the ways it can be transmitted. The study recommends that staff of the HIV Clinic should be involved in counseling PLWHAs, especially WLWHAs and informing them about all the service components available in the Clinic so that clients that may need these services are already aware and can utilize it as needed.