HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitude and Risk Perception among Pregnant Women in a Teaching Hospital, Southwestern Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
The rising HIV infection rates among women especially of child bearing age particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa expose children to increased HIV risk even before they are born. Without effective measures or awareness campaigns to deal with mother-to-child transmission, 390 000 out of the global 430 000 children newly infected with HIV during 2008 were from sub-Saharan Africa This study was undertaken to assess HIV/AIDS related knowledge, attitude and risk perception among pregnant women in Tertiary hospital, Southwestern Nigeria.


METHODS
The study was carried out using a 43- item self administered questionnaire, pretestd and administered to 403 pregnant women during ante-natal clinic sessions.


RESULTS
High HIV/AIDS awareness level (97%) was recorded, 77.7% had correct knowledge of the cause of the disease but knowledge on the modes of vertical transmission during pregnancy (57.5%) and prevention during breast-feeding (62.3%) was not encouraging A lot of misconceptions about the cause of the HIV/AIDS, modes of contact, transmission, prevention and anti-retroviral therapy were recorded.


CONCLUSIONS
The survey revealed that a lot needed to be done to improve the knowledge, attitude, perception and behavioral changes among the populace especially in this particular group. This calls for urgent and proper response in order to stem the tide of HIV/AIDS.
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sagamu, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Winifred Aitalegbe
WA
Ojieabu
Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sagamu, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.
M N
MN
Femi-Oyewo
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sagamu, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Uchenna I
UI
Eze
HIV/AIDS; Pregnant women; Tertiary hospital