Knowledge towards elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV among breastfeeding mothers attending ART services at Kira Health Centre IV, Wakiso district. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51168/y13ya519Keywords:
Knowledge, Elimination of Mother-to-Child transmission, HIV among breastfeeding mothersAbstract
Background:
The percentage of reproductive-age women’s knowledge of MTCT revealed that the lowest and the highest Knowledge of MTCT was observed in Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe, 27.10% and 68.02%, respectively. The study aims to assess the knowledge on the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV among breastfeeding mothers attending ART services at Kira Health Centre IV, Wakiso district.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study design with quantitative approaches was used together with simple random sampling to obtain the sample for the study in Kira Health Centre IV in the ART department. Data were collected daily for 30 days from mothers who were willing to participate in the study and had consented by completing a questionnaire.
Results:
Majority 41(68.3%) of the respondents were aged 20-30 years, 10(16.7%) were aged 30-40 years and lastly 09(15%) respondents who were <20 years of age. 48(80%) were aware of the EMTCT program. 46(76.7%) knew the modes through which HIV can be transmitted from mother to child. 57(95%) were aware that HIV can be transmitted from mother to child during breastfeeding. 38(63.3%) of the respondents knew that ART reduces the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The majority, 45(75%), thought that HIV positive breastfeeding mothers can breastfeed. 32(53.3%), 20(33.3%), 6(10%), thought that mother’s adherence to ART, exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding, respectively, could reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child.
Conclusions:Regarding the knowledge on Elimination of Mother to Child transmission of HIV among breastfeeding mothers attending ART services at Kira Health Centre IV, Wakiso District, the study established that breastfeeding mothers had a fairly good level of knowledge on EMTCT of HIV.
Recommendations:The health workers should continuously educate mothers about the importance of EMTCT of HIV.
References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Frank Kakembo, Alexander Ssekibaamu, George Masete (Author)
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