Knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS and its prevention among Ghanaian women

Abstract

Background: HIV/AIDS is still a major public health issue around the world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where this has resulted in unquantifiable human suffering, social and cultural disruption, and enormous economic losses. Methods: This study aims to assess women’s knowledge and attitude toward HIV/AIDS and its prevention in Ghana. To perform an analytic cross-sectional study, this study used data (the women in reproductive age 15-49 years dataset) from the Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2017/18. Bivariate analysis was done using chi-square and predictor variables were identified using binary logistics regression. Results: This study recorded good HIV knowledge and attitude levels of 81.9% and 10.5%. Factors that predicted only good HIV knowledge levels were ethnicity, and disability status. Also, predictors of only good attitude level were type of residence and marital status. Factors implicated in the prediction of both good knowledge and attitude levels were age, educational status, region of orientation, health insurance status, economic status, and media exposure. Conclusions: This study recorded a good HIV knowledge level among the majority of the women, but recorded most respondents having a poor attitude toward HIV.