Uptake of Prenatal HIV Testing in Hai Phong Province, Vietnam

Abstract

The objective of the study is to describe the uptake of prenatal HIV testing among Vietnamese women. Exit interviews were conducted among 300 women who had delivered at Hai Phong obstetrical hospital. Information about socioeconomic characteristics and HIV testing was obtained through structured questionnaire interviews. It was found that 45% of the women were tested for HIV before the end of 34 weeks of gestation, 5% in 35 to 40 weeks of gestation, and 55% at labor. Low educational levels, being a farmer or worker, having a low income, and living close to the hospital were associated with being tested at labor. When adjusting for possible confounders, however, living more than 15 km from the hospital was the only factor, which remained significantly associated with HIV testing during labor (odds ratio = 2.15; confidence interval = 1.14-4.04). The results suggest that many Vietnamese women are not tested for HIV during prenatal care and that a relationship exists between distance to the hospital and lack of HIV testing during pregnancy.