Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia
Abstract Introduction Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continues to be a deadly pandemic and a serious threat to public health. Globally, reproductive age women are more likely to be infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS is pivotal in the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18105-9 |
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| author | Beminate Lemma Seifu Gilbert Eshun Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema Frank Kyei-Arthur |
| author_facet | Beminate Lemma Seifu Gilbert Eshun Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema Frank Kyei-Arthur |
| author_sort | Beminate Lemma Seifu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continues to be a deadly pandemic and a serious threat to public health. Globally, reproductive age women are more likely to be infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS is pivotal in the fight against AIDS. However, comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge is low in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) nations including Liberia, which contributes to the high incidence of HIV in these nations. This study assessed the level of comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia. Methods The prevalence and associated factors of comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS among reproductive age women in Liberia were determined using secondary data analysis of 2019–2020 Liberia Demographic and Health Surveys (LDHS). Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS was a composite variable computed from six variables available in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). The study included 7,621 reproductive age women in weighted samples. A generalized linear mixed model with robust error variance was used. For the variables included in the final model, adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results The prevalence of comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge among Liberian women aged 15–49 was 33.5%. Women’s age and education, and distance to health facility were positively associated with comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS among Liberian reproductive age women. In contrast, community poverty level was negatively associated with comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Conclusion and recommendations This study demonstrates that the prevalence of good comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge was relatively low among reproductive age women in Liberia. Hence, health practitioners and policymakers should strengthen HIV/AIDS sensitization programmes to increase women’s knowledge about HIV/AIDS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:37:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c5e8df7a6aa241acb0bd0dad8b704ce9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:37:14Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-c5e8df7a6aa241acb0bd0dad8b704ce92024-03-05T20:37:29ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582024-02-0124111010.1186/s12889-024-18105-9Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in LiberiaBeminate Lemma Seifu0Gilbert Eshun1Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema2Frank Kyei-Arthur3Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Samara UniversitySeventh Day Adventist HospitalDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, and comprehensive specialized Hospital, University of GondarDepartment of Environment and Public Health, University of Environment and Sustainable DevelopmentAbstract Introduction Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continues to be a deadly pandemic and a serious threat to public health. Globally, reproductive age women are more likely to be infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS is pivotal in the fight against AIDS. However, comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge is low in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) nations including Liberia, which contributes to the high incidence of HIV in these nations. This study assessed the level of comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and its associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia. Methods The prevalence and associated factors of comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS among reproductive age women in Liberia were determined using secondary data analysis of 2019–2020 Liberia Demographic and Health Surveys (LDHS). Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS was a composite variable computed from six variables available in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). The study included 7,621 reproductive age women in weighted samples. A generalized linear mixed model with robust error variance was used. For the variables included in the final model, adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results The prevalence of comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge among Liberian women aged 15–49 was 33.5%. Women’s age and education, and distance to health facility were positively associated with comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS among Liberian reproductive age women. In contrast, community poverty level was negatively associated with comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Conclusion and recommendations This study demonstrates that the prevalence of good comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge was relatively low among reproductive age women in Liberia. Hence, health practitioners and policymakers should strengthen HIV/AIDS sensitization programmes to increase women’s knowledge about HIV/AIDS.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18105-9Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDSLiberiaDemographic and Health SurveyHIV/AIDSReproductive age women |
| spellingShingle | Beminate Lemma Seifu Gilbert Eshun Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema Frank Kyei-Arthur Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia BMC Public Health Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS Liberia Demographic and Health Survey HIV/AIDS Reproductive age women |
| title | Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia |
| title_full | Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia |
| title_fullStr | Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia |
| title_short | Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS and associated factors among reproductive age women in Liberia |
| title_sort | comprehensive knowledge about hiv aids and associated factors among reproductive age women in liberia |
| topic | Comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS Liberia Demographic and Health Survey HIV/AIDS Reproductive age women |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18105-9 |
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