Abstract
Introduction: Despite of improvement in knowledge, diagnostics, prevention and treatment; HIV/AIDS is highly discriminated and stigmatized worldwide. Objective: To determine the association of various socio-demographic characteristics with knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS transmission among married women. Study Design and Setting: For this purpose, secondary analysis was done using data from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2014. Materials and Methods: Study design was cross-sectional. Only ever married women were included as participants of the study. Result: Significant associations were found between sociodemographic factors i.e., women age (p-value = 0.001), women education (p-value = 0.001), wealth index (p-value = 0.001), access to media (p-value = 0.001), type of place of residence (p-value = 0.01), marital status (p-value<0.05) with knowledge and attitudes of women towards HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: Despite of having high odds of appropriate knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission; attitudes of Pakistani women towards HIV/AIDS transmission were still negative. Programs need to be designed in order to reverse the negative attitudes of community towards HIV/AIDS transmission.
Highlights
Despite of improvement in knowledge, diagnostics, prevention and treatment; HIV/AIDS is highly discriminated and stigmatized worldwide
Respondents with wrong responses had misconceptions about transmission through supernatural means (11%), mosquito bites (84%), sharing food (0.5%) and healthy looking person (37%) may have the infection were listed as Inappropriate Knowledge
Respondents with correct responses included as 1% should female educator be allowed to proceeds education in school, 0.5% stated that they would buy fresh vegetables from seller and 37% reported willing to care if their household member gets infected with HIV/AIDS were graded as Positive Attitude
Summary
Despite of improvement in knowledge, diagnostics, prevention and treatment; HIV/AIDS is highly discriminated and stigmatized worldwide. Objective: To determine the association of various socio-demographic characteristics with knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS transmission among married women. Conclusion: Despite of having high odds of appropriate knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission; attitudes of Pakistani women towards HIV/AIDS transmission were still negative. Over 1.1 million HIV positive individuals reside in United States and approximately 20% individuals were unaware of the infection[5]. First HIV case in Pakistan was identified in 1987 and after that the infection had spread to a large extent[8]; approximately 98,000 people were living with HIV in 2009 and the main reasons for HIV/AIDS spread include unawareness, undiagnosed cases and unsafe sexual practices[9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
