E.O. Igudia and J. O. Umuemufo

Department of Health, Safety and Environmental Education, Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City

Abstract

The study assessed the knowledge and attitudes towards the guidelines to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Ethiope West LGA. Five research questions were raised to guide the study, while four hypotheses were formulated.The descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. The population of the study consisted of 2,122 women of childbearing age who attended prenatal and postnatal care services between July 2023 and August 2023 at the Primary Healthcare Centres in Ethiope West Local Government Area (Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Asaba, Delta state). The sample size for this study was 229 respondents and was selected using the multi stage sampling technique.  A self-made questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents and validated by three expert in the department of Health, Safety and Environmental Education, university of Benin. The reliability of the instrument was established through tet – retest and scores from the both first and second administration were analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient to obtain a coefficient score of 0.77. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics of frequency and percentages for the research questions, while inferential statistics of chi-square was used to test the formulated hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance.The study revealed among others that: that knowledge and attitudes towards PMTCT guidelines are generally high among respondents in Ethiope West LGA of Delta state, age does not significantly influence attitudes towards the guidelines for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Ethiope West LGA,but significantly influences knowledge to the guidelines. Based on the findings, it was therefore recommended among others that there is a need for continuous education and awareness programs to maintain and improve these levels. Additionally, targeted interventions should be considered to address the gaps identified, particularly among specific age groups and educational levels. Strengthening PMTCT programs through comprehensive education and supportive attitudes can significantly reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, contributing to better health outcomes for mothers and their children.

Introduction

Throughout history, people observed and fought against several pandemics, with some resulting to a disastrous amount of casualties and economic damage. One of such pandemics that has remained prevalent till this era is the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a chronic disease caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The most common routes of HIV transmission include sexual contact, blood contact, and