Women's knowledge about treatment to prevent mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus transmission.
OBJECTIVE
To provide national estimates of knowledge about treatments available to reduce mother-to-infant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission among U.S. women of childbearing age.


METHODS
We used data from 55712 women aged 18 to 44 years who responded to questions on antiretroviral treatment in the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We obtained the percentage of women who correctly answered a question on treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and determined factors independently associated with such knowledge using a multiple logistic regression model.


RESULTS
Overall, the percentage of women who correctly stated that treatment existed to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV was 58.6% (95% confidence interval 57.9, 59.3). In the multiple logistic regression model that controlled for sociodemographics, having correct knowledge about treatment to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission was independently associated with being black, younger age (18-34 years), college level education, and having been tested for HIV. Current pregnancy was not an independent predictor of having knowledge about the availability of treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission.


CONCLUSIONS
Among US women of childbearing age, just over one half had correct knowledge of effective perinatal HIV prevention strategies. Increasing the awareness of these treatments may lead to greater uptake of HIV testing among pregnant women.
Anderson
John E
JE
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. jeal@cdc.gov
Ebrahim
Shahul H
SH
Sansom
Stephanie
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology