Factors influencing utilization of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS in Uganda

Abstract

The major aim of this study was to determine factors influencing utilization of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS in Uganda. The specific objectives were; to assess factors influencing utilization of PMTCT of HIV in Uganda and to examine the socio-economic and demographic factors influencing utilization of PMTCT.

The study used data from the 2006 Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) it conducted by the Uganda Bureau of statistics (UBOS) using a nationally representative probability sample of 9864 households in which 8531 women aged 15-49 were interviewed, of these ,5035 mothers attended ANC in the last five years with their last birth hence were selected for analysis. Data was then analyzed at univariate bivariate and multivariate methods. The multivariate analysis was carried out using logistic regression model to establish the factors associated with PMTCT utilization.

At this level of analysis, primary and secondary level of education were significantly associated to PMTCT utilization (p=0.000), central and eastern regions showed a significant association with PMTCT utilization (p=0.000). Age group 25-29 was also significantly associated to PMTCT utilization with (p=0.002), the highest wealth status showed a significant relationship (p=0.004) to the utilization of PMTCT and lastly talk about getting tested was also significantly related to PMTCT utilization.

From the study, education is a significant influencing factor in utilization of PMTCT services in Uganda. The more educated a woman the more utilization of PMTCT services. It is therefore recommended that programmes and policies that intend to educate and inform women should be enacted and strengthened for implementation. The education programmes of Universal primary education and Universal secondary education as well as the formative action of 1.5 points given to females during admission into public institutions and university should be strengthened and well implemented to enable a large proportion of women attend school. This will help to increase on their knowledge and change attitude in the utilization of PMTCT services thus protecting and improving the lives of the newly born babies and their mothers.

The study recommends the government of Uganda to distribute services like health facilities equally in all regions of Uganda so that mothers in disadvantaged areas can access services of PMTCT thus increasing its utilization.

Testing during antenatal should be emphasized and extended at the grass root through village health teams(VHT) to counsel and test mothers who do not attend antenatal care and those who decide to deliver in their homes due to fear of rude behaviors of health workers.