Trends and Factors Associated with Comprehensive Knowledge about HIV among Women in Vietnam.

Nguyen Van Son,Vu Duy Kien,Le Manh Cuong,Hoang Duc Luan,Nguyen Thi Thuy Duong,Ho Xuan Tuan

doi:10.3390/tropicalmed5020091

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the trends and associated factors of comprehensive knowledge about HIV among women in Vietnam using the dataset of the Vietnam Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICSs) in 2000, 2006, 2011, and 2014. The outcome variable was comprehensive knowledge about HIV, defined as the ability to correctly answer three knowledge questions and to reject the three most common misconceptions about HIV prevention. We found that comprehensive knowledge about HIV increased from 26.1% in 2000 to 44.1% in 2011, but it decreased slightly between 2011 and 2014, from 44.1% to 42.4%. Increased comprehensive knowledge about HIV was associated with women who had higher education and those in the fourth and fifth quintiles of household wealth in all four rounds of the MICS. Comprehensive knowledge about HIV among women was also associated with those who had ever been tested for HIV and those with knowledge of where to be tested for HIV. Women in the urban areas were more likely to have higher levels of comprehensive knowledge about HIV as compared to the women in the rural areas in 2000, 2006, and 2011 but not in 2014. Comprehensive knowledge about HIV among women in Vietnam increased from 2000 to 2014, but it was still relatively low.

Highlights

Comprehensive knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) includes an understanding of HIV transmission routes and the ability to counter local misconceptions about HIV/AIDS
The proportion of women who had ever been tested for HIV increased from 5.6% in 2000 to 21.5% in 2014
Except for study participants in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICSs) from the year 2000, increased levels of comprehensive knowledge about HIV among women were associated with those who had ever been tested for HIV and those with knowledge of where to be tested for HIV

Summary

Introduction

Comprehensive knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) includes an understanding of HIV transmission routes and the ability to counter local misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. The definition of comprehensive knowledge of HIV may vary slightly between studies or countries but is considered here to be the comprehensive knowledge of HIV of an individual. The prevalence of HIV in high-risk groups is still high, and there is a potential risk of its spread among communities if preventive measures are not maintained and strengthened [1]. Strengthening comprehensive knowledge about HIV is considered to be an effective solution to prevent HIV in countries around the world [5,6]. Whereas women are more likely to acquire HIV than men [7,8], the global prevalence of comprehensive knowledge about HIV is still lower among women than men [6]

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Discussion

Conclusion