Investigation of the awareness status of HIV/AIDS and socioeconomic inequalities in women 15–54 years old in Iran: study of Iran’s Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey (IrMIDHS)

Abstract

Awareness of HIV/AIDS is very important in women at the age of fertility and it is one of the indicators of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study aimed to investigate the awareness status of HIV/AIDS and socioeconomic inequalities in the lack of awareness of HIV/AIDS in 15–54-year-old women in Iran. This was a cross-sectional study. Randomized multistage cluster sampling was used in this study. A total of 35,305 women 15–54 years old were enrolled in the study. Data were analyzed in two stages. Socioeconomic inequalities were investigated using the methods of concentration index and concentration curve in the first stage, and the multilevel method was used to identify the role of determinants in the second stage. Of the total participants in the study, 5017 (18.55%) had an inadequate awareness of HIV/AIDS. The concentration index was −0.06 [95% confidence interval (CI) (−0.08, −0.04)], indicating the lack of awareness among the low-class people of society. The results of the multilevel analysis showed that there is a relationship between the education, marital status of the individuals, age over 35 years, occupation, economic class, and lack of awareness of HIV/AIDS. The prevalence of the lack of adequate awareness of HIV/AIDS is more prominent among the low-class people of society, and this inequality varies in different provinces. The socioeconomic determinants such as age, place of residence, marital status, and economic status should be considered to reduce these inequalities.