Knowledge and Attitudes about Mother-to-Child Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus in a Context of Social Vulnerability: The Case of the Province of Essaouira, Morocco

Abstract

Background: Despite health education efforts, pregnant women still face major health problems.The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women on measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus in a context of social vulnerability. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey of 384 pregnant women randomly selected from the 20 health districts in the province of Essaouira. This study was carried out from January 2022 to June 2022. A questionnaire was used, and bivariable logistic regression analyses were done to identify factors associated with knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women about mother-to-child transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus. Results: Low knowledge (75.8%) and negative attitudes (72.7%) about preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV were observed in study participants. The knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women about the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV varied by education level, number of children, and source of information. There was a very significant correlation between knowledge and attitude (p=0.000). Conclusion: A significant number of pregnant women have incomplete knowledge and attitudes about preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Actions to increase the knowledge of pregnant women are essential. The capacity of healthcare providers should also be strengthened to improve the quality of care.