Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in Cameroon
Abstract Background Despite recent progress, there exist gaps in the prevention of vertical HIV transmission program access and uptake in Cameroon. Female sex workers (FSW), many of whom are mothers, are disproportionately affected by HIV and have specific barriers to HIV testing and treatment acces...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-6812-3 |
| _version_ | 1818993934161936384 |
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| author | Amrita Rao Sheree Schwartz Serge C. Billong Anna Bowring Ghislaine Fouda Flavien Ndonko Iliassou Njindam Daniel Levitt Anne-C. Bissek Oudou Njoya Stefan Baral |
| author_facet | Amrita Rao Sheree Schwartz Serge C. Billong Anna Bowring Ghislaine Fouda Flavien Ndonko Iliassou Njindam Daniel Levitt Anne-C. Bissek Oudou Njoya Stefan Baral |
| author_sort | Amrita Rao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Despite recent progress, there exist gaps in the prevention of vertical HIV transmission program access and uptake in Cameroon. Female sex workers (FSW), many of whom are mothers, are disproportionately affected by HIV and have specific barriers to HIV testing and treatment access. Testing for HIV-exposed infants is crucial in monitoring for incident infection and timely intervention. This study explores the level of early childhood testing and also associations between antenatal care (ANC) attendance and other factors and early childhood HIV testing among FSW in Cameroon. Methods FSW were recruited to participate in an integrated biobehavioral survey in Cameroon between December 2015 and October 2016. Women were included in these analyses if they were living with HIV and had at least one living child. Both univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to look at predictors of a child being tested for HIV before age five. Results A total of 481/2255 FSW were eligible for these analyses as they were HIV seropositive and had at least one living child at the time of the study. Women included in these analyses had a median age of 35(IQR 30–41). Nearly 70% reported none of their children had been tested for HIV before age five (326/481), and 3.5%(17/481) reported one or more of their children had been diagnosed with HIV. ANC attendance (adjusted OR 2.12, 95% CI: [1.02, 4.55]), awareness of HIV status (aOR 3.70[2.30, 5.93]), pregnancy intentions (aOR 1.89[1.16, 3.08]), and higher education (aOR 2.17[1.01, 4.71]) were all independently associated with increased odds of women having a greater proportion of children tested for HIV before age five. Regional differences in early childhood testing were also observed. Conclusion Vertical transmission of HIV remains a challenge in Cameroon, and HIV testing among children of FSW living with HIV was very low. ANC attendance and promotion of the mother’s health were associated with increased child HIV testing. For women at high risk of HIV and for whom engagement in the health system is low, strategies to promote and ensure ANC attendance are essential for their health and the health of their children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:49:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0f13c20b476e461988dc12b7a1f295a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:49:56Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-0f13c20b476e461988dc12b7a1f295a42022-12-21T19:26:56ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582019-05-0119S11810.1186/s12889-019-6812-3Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in CameroonAmrita Rao0Sheree Schwartz1Serge C. Billong2Anna Bowring3Ghislaine Fouda4Flavien Ndonko5Iliassou Njindam6Daniel Levitt7Anne-C. Bissek8Oudou Njoya9Stefan Baral10Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthUniversity of YaoundéDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthCARE CamerounCARE CamerounDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthCARE USAFaculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of YaoundéFaculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of YaoundéDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthAbstract Background Despite recent progress, there exist gaps in the prevention of vertical HIV transmission program access and uptake in Cameroon. Female sex workers (FSW), many of whom are mothers, are disproportionately affected by HIV and have specific barriers to HIV testing and treatment access. Testing for HIV-exposed infants is crucial in monitoring for incident infection and timely intervention. This study explores the level of early childhood testing and also associations between antenatal care (ANC) attendance and other factors and early childhood HIV testing among FSW in Cameroon. Methods FSW were recruited to participate in an integrated biobehavioral survey in Cameroon between December 2015 and October 2016. Women were included in these analyses if they were living with HIV and had at least one living child. Both univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to look at predictors of a child being tested for HIV before age five. Results A total of 481/2255 FSW were eligible for these analyses as they were HIV seropositive and had at least one living child at the time of the study. Women included in these analyses had a median age of 35(IQR 30–41). Nearly 70% reported none of their children had been tested for HIV before age five (326/481), and 3.5%(17/481) reported one or more of their children had been diagnosed with HIV. ANC attendance (adjusted OR 2.12, 95% CI: [1.02, 4.55]), awareness of HIV status (aOR 3.70[2.30, 5.93]), pregnancy intentions (aOR 1.89[1.16, 3.08]), and higher education (aOR 2.17[1.01, 4.71]) were all independently associated with increased odds of women having a greater proportion of children tested for HIV before age five. Regional differences in early childhood testing were also observed. Conclusion Vertical transmission of HIV remains a challenge in Cameroon, and HIV testing among children of FSW living with HIV was very low. ANC attendance and promotion of the mother’s health were associated with increased child HIV testing. For women at high risk of HIV and for whom engagement in the health system is low, strategies to promote and ensure ANC attendance are essential for their health and the health of their children.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-6812-3Female sex workersVertical transmission of HIVEarly childhood HIV testingAntenatal care attendanceCameroon |
| spellingShingle | Amrita Rao Sheree Schwartz Serge C. Billong Anna Bowring Ghislaine Fouda Flavien Ndonko Iliassou Njindam Daniel Levitt Anne-C. Bissek Oudou Njoya Stefan Baral Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in Cameroon BMC Public Health Female sex workers Vertical transmission of HIV Early childhood HIV testing Antenatal care attendance Cameroon |
| title | Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in Cameroon |
| title_full | Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in Cameroon |
| title_short | Predictors of early childhood HIV testing among children of sex workers living with HIV in Cameroon |
| title_sort | predictors of early childhood hiv testing among children of sex workers living with hiv in cameroon |
| topic | Female sex workers Vertical transmission of HIV Early childhood HIV testing Antenatal care attendance Cameroon |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-6812-3 |
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