Dyalchand, Ashok

Sinha, Gita

Retrovirology

English

PubMed

Ashok Dyalchand

Gita Sinha

Crossref

POSTER PRESENTATION Open AccessIncreased antenatal HIV testing among ruralpregnant women: a community-based HIVprevention services program in rural Maharashtra,IndiaAshok Dyalchand*, Gita SinhaFrom 16th International Symposium on HIV and Emerging Infectious DiseasesMarseille, France. 24-26 March 2010BackgroundTo characterize changes in antenatal HIV testing utiliza-tion, six months after the introduction of a targetedHIV prevention and testing services interventionprogram.MethodsBetween August 2006 and April 2007, a community-based HIV prevention campaign and antenatal clinic-integrated voluntary HIV testing program was initiatedin 52 villages in rural Aurangabad district, Maharashtra,India. Questionnaires assessing HIV risk factors andHIV testing utilization were administered to randomcross-sectional community samples of 400 adult womenwho had given birth in the prior 12 months, at Baselineand, after six months, to 400 women each in the Post-Intervention and a separate Control community.ResultsDuring the study period, a total of 1200 recently-preg-nant women were surveyed. Sociodemographic charac-teristics including >90% antenatal care utilization weresimilar for all sample groups. From Baseline to Post-Intervention, HIV testing facility awareness significantlyincreased (6% to 16%, p < 0.05) and independently cor-related only with participation in the community-basedcampaign (AOR 2.1, 95%CI (1.3-3.5)). Antenatal HIVtesting utilization increased (3.3% vs 7.5%, p < 0.05), andcorrelated with discussing HIV in antenatal care (AOR10.2, 95%CI (4.7 - 22.4)) but did not vary with STIsymptom history. Of Post-Intervention women reportingantenatal HIV testing (n = 30), 43% sought testing atknown voluntary HIV testing facilities, including Inter-vention clinics and the District-level hospital.DiscussionThe community- and clinic-integrated HIV preventionservices program significantly raised women’s HIV test-ing awareness and the number of clinic-integrated facil-ities for voluntary HIV testing, influencing increasedcommunity-level antenatal HIV testing utilization. In allrural communities, it is necessary for current antenatalservices to identify and counsel the high-HIV risk sub-group of women with STI symptom history, and toensure voluntary informed consent, for all clients.Published: 11 May 2010doi:10.1186/1742-4690-7-S1-P146Cite this article as: Dyalchand and Sinha: Increased antenatal HIVtesting among rural pregnant women: a community-based HIVprevention services program in rural Maharashtra, India. Retrovirology2010 7(Suppl 1):P146.* Correspondence: dyalchand@gmail.comInstitute of Health Management Pachod, Pune, IndiaDyalchand and Sinha Retrovirology 2010, 7(Suppl 1):P146http://www.retrovirology.com/content/7/S1/P146© 2010 Dyalchand and Sinha; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Increased antenatal HIV testing among rural pregnant women: a community-based HIV prevention services program in rural Maharashtra, India

Springer - Publisher Connector

POSTER PRESENTATION Open Access
Increased antenatal HIV testing among rural
pregnant women: a community-based HIV
prevention services program in rural Maharashtra,
India
Ashok Dyalchand*, Gita Sinha
From 16th International Symposium on HIV and Emerging Infectious Diseases
Marseille, France. 24-26 March 2010
Background
To characterize changes in antenatal HIV testing utiliza-
tion, six months after the introduction of a targeted
HIV prevention and testing services intervention
program.
Methods
Between August 2006 and April 2007, a community-
based HIV prevention campaign and antenatal clinic-
integrated voluntary HIV testing program was initiated
in 52 villages in rural Aurangabad district, Maharashtra,
India. Questionnaires assessing HIV risk factors and
HIV testing utilization were administered to random
cross-sectional community samples of 400 adult women
who had given birth in the prior 12 months, at Baseline
and, after six months, to 400 women each in the Post-
Intervention and a separate Control community.
Results
During the study period, a total of 1200 recently-preg-
nant women were surveyed. Sociodemographic charac-
teristics including >90% antenatal care utilization were
similar for all sample groups. From Baseline to Post-
Intervention, HIV testing facility awareness significantly
increased (6% to 16%, p < 0.05) and independently cor-
related only with participation in the community-based
campaign (AOR 2.1, 95%CI (1.3-3.5)). Antenatal HIV
testing utilization increased (3.3% vs 7.5%, p < 0.05), and
correlated with discussing HIV in antenatal care (AOR
10.2, 95%CI (4.7 - 22.4)) but did not vary with STI
symptom history. Of Post-Intervention women reporting
antenatal HIV testing (n = 30), 43% sought testing at
known voluntary HIV testing facilities, including Inter-
vention clinics and the District-level hospital.
Discussion
The community- and clinic-integrated HIV prevention
services program significantly raised women’s HIV test-
ing awareness and the number of clinic-integrated facil-
ities for voluntary HIV testing, influencing increased
community-level antenatal HIV testing utilization. In all
rural communities, it is necessary for current antenatal
services to identify and counsel the high-HIV risk sub-
group of women with STI symptom history, and to
ensure voluntary informed consent, for all clients.
Published: 11 May 2010
doi:10.1186/1742-4690-7-S1-P146
Cite this article as: Dyalchand and Sinha: Increased antenatal HIV
testing among rural pregnant women: a community-based HIV
prevention services program in rural Maharashtra, India. Retrovirology
2010 7(Suppl 1):P146.
* Correspondence: dyalchand@gmail.com
Institute of Health Management Pachod, Pune, India
Dyalchand and Sinha Retrovirology 2010, 7(Suppl 1):P146
http://www.retrovirology.com/content/7/S1/P146
© 2010 Dyalchand and Sinha; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.


file:///data/core-remote/dit/data/Springer-OA/pdf/7dd/aHR0cDovL2xpbmsuc3ByaW5nZXIuY29tLzEwLjExODYvMTc0Mi00NjkwLTctUzEtUDE0Ni5wZGY=.pdf

Increased antenatal HIV testing among rural pregnant women: a community-based HIV prevention services program in rural Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Crossref

Springer - Publisher Connector