title: Knowledge of HIV/AIDS and Attitude Toward Voluntary Counselling and Testing Among Antenatal Clinic Attendees at a Tertiary Care Hospital in India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Maternal to child transmission (MTCT) is responsible for over 90 % of all childhood HIV infections. Lack of awareness regarding HIV and preventive practices against MTCT maybe one of the reasons behind high HIV transmission rates. In our study, we assessed the knowledge of HIV/AIDS in antenatal women, attending a tertiary care hospital in India as well as their attitude toward voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out from May-July 2012 using a pretested interview-based questionnaire given to 386 antenatal women after obtaining consent. Data were abstracted for knowledge of HIV, MTCT, and attitude toward VCT. Results were expressed as percentages using SPSS v.16 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Amongst the respondents, 92.5 % had heard of HIV and in 41 % of them, the source of information was through mass media. 81 % were aware of sexual intercourse as a mode of transmission of HIV while 55 % knew that sharing sharp objects and infected blood products can spread HIV. 37.6 % of respondents were aware of MTCT and 44 % heard of antiretroviral therapy as a method of prevention of MTCT. While 68 % were willing to get tested for HIV, 18.9 % knew about the steps involved and 44 % knew where to get VCT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There exists a lack of adequate knowledge regarding HIV and preventive practices against MTCT. Health education and awareness campaigns on MTCT prevention and VCT promotion should target women in their antenatal period in order to increase acceptability and accessibility of these services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Dhanvantari Nagar, Pondicherry, 605005 India.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sagili
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Dhanvantari Nagar, Pondicherry, 605005 India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lakshminarayanan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Dhanvantari Nagar, Pondicherry, 605005 India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Dhanvantari Nagar, Pondicherry, 605005 India.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abi
keywords: Antiretroviral therapy; HIV/AIDS; Maternal to child transmission (MTCT); Testing (VCT); Voluntary counseling