title: Disparities in HIV screening among pregnant women--El Salvador, 2011.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an accurate estimate of antenatal HIV screening and its determinants among pregnant women in El Salvador and help local authorities make informed decisions for targeted interventions around mother-to-child transmission (MTCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total sample of 4,730 women aged 15-49 years were interviewed from a random sample of 3,625 households. We collected data on antenatal care services, including HIV screening, during last pregnancy through a pre-established questionnaire. We used a backward elimination multivariate logistic regression model to examine the association between HIV screening and sociodemographic and health care-related factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2,929 women were included in this analysis. About 98% of participants reported receiving antenatal care, but only 83% of these reported being screened for HIV. Screening was lower in geographic areas with higher HIV incidence and ranged from 69.1% among women who were not seen by a physician during antenatal care, to 93.7% among those who attended or completed college. Odds for screening varied also by age, employment status, household economic expenditure, possession of health care coverage, health care settings, and number of antenatal care visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found disparities in HIV screening during antenatal care at the environmental, social, demographic, and structural levels despite a high uptake of antenatal care in El Salvador. Our findings should urge health authorities to tailor and enhance current strategies implemented to eliminate MTCT and reduce inequities and HIV morbidity among women in El Salvador.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors.forename: Charbel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: El Bcheraoui
authors.affiliation: STD-HIV/AIDS Program, Ministry of Health, San Salvador, El Salvador.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Nieto Gómez
authors.affiliation: First Level of Attention, Ministry of Health, San Salvador, El Salvador.
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dubón Abrego
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors.forename: Marielle C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gagnier
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Madeline Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ali H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mokdad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004544:El Salvador / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult