Attitudes to voluntary counselling and testing for HIV among pregnant women in rural south-west Uganda
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Date
2001
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AIDS Care: Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
Abstract
This paper describes the results of a study exploring the attitudes of women attending
maternity clinics to voluntary counselling and testing during pregnancy in rural areas in south-west
Uganda. It was a qualitative study using focus group discussions (FGDs). Twenty-four FGDs were
carried out with 208 women attending maternity clinics in three sites in rural south-west Uganda.
The FGDs were all recorded and transcribed, and analysed using standard computer-based qualitative
techniques. Almost all women were willing in principle to take an HIV test in the event of
pregnancy, and to reveal their HIV status to maternity staff. They were anxious, however, about
confidentiality, and there was a widespread fear that maternity staff might refuse to assist them when
the time came to deliver if their status were known. This applied more to traditional birth attendants
than to biomedical health staff. There were also rumours about medical staff intentionally killing
HIV-positive patients in order to stem the spread of the epidemic. Women were concerned that if their
husbands found out they were HIV-positive they would be blamed and separation or domestic
violence might result. In conclusion: although VCT during pregnancy is acceptable in principle, much
will need to be done to ensure confidentiality and allay women’s fears of stigmatisation and
discrimination during delivery. Community sensitisation will be necessary and male partners will
have to be involved if interventions are to be acceptable
Description
Keywords
voluntary counselling, women, testing for HIV, pregnant women, south-west Uganda
Citation
R. Pool , S. Nyanzi & J. A. G. Whitworth (2001) Attitudes to voluntary counselling and testing for HIV among pregnant women in rural southwest Uganda, AIDS Care: Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV, 13:5, 605-615, DOI: 10.1080/09540120120063232