An investigation into knowledge that HIV positive women have of the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV
Date
2006-03
Authors
Hude, Ndileka Ivy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
One of the greatest challenges faced by modern society in the field of health is the devastation caused by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which is decimating millions of people worldwide. Scientists and health care workers are busy adopting strategies to counter the pandemic. One of the key strategies that have been adopted by health organisations worldwide is the education of health professionals and people infected and affected by the HIV to understand the physiology and behaviour of this killer virus and hence to be able to manage it to prevent further infection.
This study is a small-scale study to investigate the effectiveness of education intervention and support programmes for HIV positive women who have small babies. The study was conducted through a questionnaire on a group of fifteen HIV positive women in Khayelitsha in the Western Cape. The study sought to find out what knowledge the women have of HIV/AIDS and the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission Programme.
The findings of the study reveal that 97% of women have physiological knowledge of HIV, which is the knowledge of the virus and how it behaves in the body of the infected person. Seventy four percent of women have knowledge of the PMTCT programme and how the virus is transmitted from mother to baby and 73% of the women have knowledge of treatment against the disease. Whilst acknowledging that generally, women have this knowledge, this study has found that there are gaps that exist, which need to be addressed.
Description
Thesis (MPhil (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Industrial psychology, Theses -- Industrial psychology, AIDS (Disease) -- Transmission -- South Africa -- Khayelitsha, AIDS (Disease) in pregnancy -- Transmission -- South Africa -- Khayelitsha, AIDS (Disease) in infants -- Transmission -- South Africa -- Khayelitsha -- Prevention.