From the total of 853 reproductive age women included in the study, 830 of them responded the question correctly making the response rate of 97.3%.
Socio demographic characteristics
The mean (+ SD) age of the respondents were 28.5+ 8.02 and 210 (25.3%) of the women were within the age group of 20-24 years. Majority 640 (77.1%) of the study population were from rural area (Table 1).
Table 1: Sociodemographic characteristics of respondents at Mecha district, Ethiopia, 2016
Variables
|
Category
|
frequency
|
Percent (%)
|
Age
|
< 20
|
96
|
11.6
|
21-30
|
369
|
44.5
|
31-40
|
247
|
29.7
|
>40
|
118
|
14.2
|
Residence
|
Rural
|
640
|
77.1
|
Urban
|
190
|
22.9
|
Marital status
|
Married
|
775
|
93.4
|
Single
|
42
|
5.1
|
Divorce
|
6
|
.7
|
Widowed
|
7
|
.8
|
Educational status
|
no formal education
|
686
|
82.7
|
primary education
|
34
|
4.1
|
secondary and above
|
110
|
13.3
|
Occupation
|
house wife
|
738
|
88.9
|
Gov't employee
|
36
|
4.3
|
market trade vender
|
20
|
2.4
|
daily laborer
|
28
|
3.4
|
Student
|
8
|
1.0
|
distance from health institution
|
0.1-5 km
|
711
|
85.7
|
>5 km
|
119
|
14.3
|
Reproductive health characteristics
Concerning the reproductive status of the women, 389 (46.9%) were multipara. About 84.9%, 82.5% and 61.3% of the respondents had history of using family planning, ANC follow up and institutional delivery respectively.
Comprehensive knowledge of the women about HIV/AIDS
Four hundred six (48.9%) of the respondents had comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Nearly one fifth, 19.2% and 6.5 % of the respondents described that HIV can be transmitted by mosquitos and by super natural powers respectively. Most 757(91.2%) of them knew that healthy-looking person may have AIDS virus. About 73.3% of the respondents knew that someone can prevent from HIV by consistent condom use and limiting sex partners.
Knowledge of the women on MTCT
Six hundred sixty one (79.6%) knew that HIV could be transmitted from an infected mother to her baby. Concerning the time of transmission of the virus from the infected mother to her child, 77.9%, 50.2% and 49.9% responded that MTCT could be through breast feeding, during delivery and during pregnancy respectively. Over all 221(26.6%) of the respondents were knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV.
Knowledge of the Women on PMTCT
More than three fourths, 636 (76.6%) of the respondents had heard about PMTCT of HIV of whom 186 (22.4%) of the respondents were knowledgeable on PMTCT of HIV. (Table 2).
Table 2: Kowledge of women about PMTCT, at Mecha district, Ethiopia, 2016
variables
|
Category
|
frequency
|
Percent (%)
|
Heard about PMTCT
|
Yes
|
636
|
76.6
|
No
|
194
|
23.4
|
Time of initiation of ANC drug
|
first trimester
|
276
|
83.4
|
second trimester
|
14
|
4.2
|
third trimester
|
11
|
3.3
|
I am not sure
|
30
|
9.1
|
Time of initiation of ART prophylaxis
for the newborn
|
immediately after delivery
|
156
|
78.8
|
after 1 month
|
18
|
9.1
|
after 6 month
|
6
|
3.0
|
don't know
|
18
|
9.1
|
knowledge on PMTCT
|
Knowledgeable
|
186
|
22.4
|
Non knowledgeable
|
644
|
77.6
|
Preferable mode of delivery
|
C/S
|
101
|
15.9
|
instrumental delivery
|
204
|
32.1
|
SVD
|
273
|
42.9
|
I don’t know
|
58
|
9.1
|
Factors associated with knowledge of women on PMTCT of HIV
Compared to women who live in the rural areas, those women living in the urban areas were 2.5 times (AOR =2.486, 95%CI = 1.160-5.328) more likely to be knowledgeable on PMTCT of HIV. Women with education level of secondary and above were 5.4 times (AOR =5.445, 95%CI= 2.698-10.986) more likely to be knowledgeable on PMTCT of HIV than those with no formal education.
Women who had history of ANC follow up were 4.4times (AOR =4.430, 95%CI = 1.471- 13.340) more knowledgeable on PMTCT of HIV/AIDS than who hadn’t ANC follow up. Women who had history of institutional delivery were more knowledgeable about PMTCT (AOR =4.766, 95%CI = 2.004-11.334) than those who didn’t have.
Women who were knowledgeable on comprehensive knowledge on HIV/AIDS were 1.7 times (AOR =1.697, 95%CI = 1.011-2.846) more likely to be knowledgeable on PMTCT of HIV than non- knowledgeable counter parts.Women who were knowledgeable on MTCT of HIV were 2.2 times (AOR =2.203, 95% CI=1.369-3.544) more knowledgeable on PMTCT of HIV than those who did not have.
Women who had discussions with their husband about HIV/AIDS, MTCT and its prevention were 2.7 times (AOR= 2.700, 95%CI =1.658, 4.396) more likely to be knowledgeable than those who had not (Table 3).
Table 3: Association between knowledge of PMTCT and explanatory variables among
reproductive age women on Mecha district , Ethiopia, 2016
Variables
|
category
|
Knowledgeable on PMTCT
|
COR(95%CI)
|
AOR(95%CI)
|
P-value
|
|
|
Yes
|
no
|
|
|
|
Residence
|
rural
|
80
|
560
|
1
|
1
|
|
urban
|
106
|
84
|
8.83(6.10-12.79)
|
2.49(1.16-5.33)
|
0.019
|
Educational status
|
no formal education
|
102
|
584
|
1
|
1
|
|
secondary and above
|
70
|
40
|
0.02(6.44-15.59)
|
4.45(2.70-10.99)
|
0.00
|
history of ANC visit
|
yes
|
154
|
453
|
10.62(3.86-29.23)
|
4.43(1.47-13.34)
|
0.008
|
no
|
4
|
125
|
1
|
1
|
|
history of institutional delivery
|
yes
|
146
|
300
|
11.99(6.36-22.61)
|
4.77(2.00-11.33)
|
0.000
|
no
|
11
|
271
|
1
|
1
|
|
comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS
|
Knowledgeable
|
142
|
264
|
4.65(3.20-6.74)
|
1.70(1.01-2.85)
|
0.045
|
Non Knowledgeable
|
44
|
380
|
1
|
1
|
|
Knowledgeable on MTCT
|
yes
|
88
|
133
|
3.45(2.44-4.87)
|
2.20(1.37-3.54)
|
0.001
|
no
|
98
|
511
|
1
|
1
|
|
Discussion with husband
|
yes
|
99
|
200
|
2.78(1.97-3.92)
|
2.70(1.66-4.40)
|
0.000
|
no
|
74
|
415
|
1
|
1
|
|