Research Findings (stf & Core/care): Pmtct And Ugandan Youth

Prevention Of Mother To Child HIV Transmission Not Understood By Young People In Uganda Evelyn Namubiru Tondo, Walugembe Patrick Straight Talk Foundation Uganda

Youth awareness on MTC HIV prevention strategies.

Introduction

Graph 3: Youth understanding of how a mother can reduce the risk of HIV transmission to her baby

CORE/CARE and Straight Talk Foundation have a youth HIV prevention program. Targets engaged and newly married youth (15-24 years) in Busoga and Kupsabiny regions. Aimed at empowering beneficiaries to adopt HIV prevention strategies (PMTCT, VCT and ABY).

60

51.4 50

46.5 40.1

40 Percent

Interventional activities Local language radio shows (30minutes weekly radio shows aired in respective local language) Interpersonal counseling sessions: Income generation activities: (STF gave formed listenership clubs animals and birds)

31.8 30

20

12.8

10.1

10

0 Taking ARVs

not breastfeeding

adequate antenatal

HIV testing before

Safe sex

Don’t know

Access and utilization of VCT services by youth. 56% of young people knew of a place where they could obtain VCT services. Only 13.1% mentioned VCT as one of HIV prevention strategies. 39.8% had ever performed an HIV test. 88.5% of those had managed to pick their results. 15.4% tested with influence of a partner. Research hypothesis Time taken for young people to decide on taking an HIV test As part of larger program evaluation, STF conducted anassessment on youth’s awareness about PMTCT and VCT HIV/AIDS prevention strategies. Results were to be incorporated into STF HIV prevention program for engaged and newly married youths Data A total of 327 youths aged 15-27 years interviewed. 50% males and 50% females 19% urban and 81% rural youths. 53% married and 47% engaged youths. 5.2% never attended school. Methodology: A household survey using oral interviews Two districts randomly sampled from two interventional regions. Kamuli (109), Jinja (110) and Kapchorwa (108) districts. Households purposively selected with guidance of local leaders. Each household had one eligible respondent, purposively selected. Data entered in EPIDATA and further processed using SPSS computer programs.

Why some youth had never taken an HIV test. Graph 5: Why youth do not perform HIV tests

Results 40

Youth who could spontaneously mention MTC as one of HIV transmission modes. The second leading HIV transmission mode responsible for high pediatric HIV infections in Uganda.

35

33.5

30

27.9

Graph 1. Youth understanding of HIV transmission modes : a few aware of MTC

Percent

25 20 15

120 99.1

100

12.7

10

7.6

88.4

5

5.6 2.5

80 Percent

7.1

0 60 48.3 41.6 40

Fear to receive results

No need to test

Not aware of testing center

process money consuming

Hope to test Never thought Waiting for about it in future partner

20

0 unprotected sex

Sharing instruments

Blood contamination

MTC

Youth awareness on mother to child HIV mechanism. Graph 2. Mother to child HIV transmission mechanism known to the youth

80

75.5

70

Percent

60

52.6

50 40

Lessons learnt. Ugandan youths have insufficient knowledge on prevention of mother to child HIV transmission. A few could spontaneously mention it as one of the HIV transmission modes. Nevertheless, the consciousness and uptake of VCT services is poor. These are youths in the productive age and prepared to prevent HIV infections amongst themselves and their children. This would reduce on pediatric HIV infections in country. The research provides pertinent information that would be used by HIV prevention programs targeting youths.

30 19

20

11.9

10 0 during child delivery

breastfeading

during pregnancy

Didn’t know

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