title: Factors influencing acceptability of voluntary HIV testing among pregnant women in Gamboma, Republic of Congo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was carried out to identify factors affecting the acceptability of voluntary HIV testing among pregnant women in a semi-rural city, Gamboma, Republic of Congo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and September 2012. Pregnant women attending antenatal heath care at an integrated health center were enrolled after informed consent and followed through voluntary HIV testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 136 participants, 98 women (72 %) accepted voluntary HIV testing after pre-test counseling. Women with basic education, those who cited blood transfusion as a mode of transmission and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) were more likely to accept testing as well those informed about free HIV testing. Interestingly, pregnant women who had heard about HIV/AIDS from hospital setting were less likely to accept testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that increasing general education on HIV transmission/prevention modes is crucial for increasing acceptability of screening. Furthermore, HIV/AIDS knowledge disseminated to patients in hospital settings should be carefully monitored. Lastly, scaling-up MTCT services along with a better and larger community information, may address accessibility barriers observed in the present study.
authors.affiliation: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Cité OMS, villa D6, Djoué, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. linguissi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laure Stella
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ghoma-Linguissi
authors.affiliation: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Cité OMS, villa D6, Djoué, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. ebourous@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Dagene Fruinovy
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Ebourombi
authors.affiliation: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Cité OMS, villa D6, Djoué, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. anissasidibe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anissa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sidibe
authors.affiliation: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Cité OMS, villa D6, Djoué, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. serthiv@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Thomas Serge
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kivouele
authors.affiliation: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Cité OMS, villa D6, Djoué, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. vjchristevy@gmail.com.|Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. vjchristevy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jeannhey Christevy
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Vouvoungui
authors.affiliation: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Cité OMS, villa D6, Djoué, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. pierre.poulain@cupnet.net.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poulain
authors.affiliation: Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Cité OMS, villa D6, Djoué, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. fntoumi@fcrm-congo.com.|Faculty of Health Sciences, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. fntoumi@fcrm-congo.com.|Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. fntoumi@fcrm-congo.com.|Institute for Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. fntoumi@fcrm-congo.com.
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ntoumi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003223:Congo; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult