Perceptions of Antenatal Attendees on Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Services in the Central Region of Ghana.

Abstract Background: Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) involves a range of interventions that can be implemented during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to the child. However, the success of PMTCT programs largely depends on the uptake of services and the perceptions of the target population. Aim: This study therefore aims to explore the perceptions of antenatal attendees on PMTCT services in the district hospitals in the central region of Ghana. Methods : A descriptive cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted using antenatal attendees between the ages of 15 to 49 in the 11 district hospitals in the central region of Ghana. The convenient sampling procedure was used to sample 448 antenatal attendees from the district hospitals. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to proceed the data.Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyzed the data. ANOVA was used to assess the statistical significance of difference between perceptions, beliefs and views among antenatal attendees across the three gestational ages. Results : A total of 448 antenatal attendees were included in the study. Two hundred and nineteen (48.9%) perceived receiving poor care from midwives when tested positive, 318 (71%) admitted that they fear stigmatization associated with PMTCT of HIV services, 224 (50%) of them admitted that distance to the ANCs was a bother to them and 258 (57.6%) were uncomfortable to use condom for HIV prevention. Anova test reported statistically as perception [F (degree of freedom of the groups) = F-statistic 8.957; p-value = 0.001: p<0.05) beliefs, [F (degree of freedom of the groups) = F-statistic 3.138; p-value = 0.025: p<0.05) and views, [F (degree of freedom of the groups) = F-statistic 3.287; p-value = 0.021: p<0.05). Conclusion : The antenatal attendees generally had poor perceptions towards the services, hence, affecting their participation in the services available. Thus, they had the perceptions of receiving poor care from ANC midwives, feared experiencing stigma when tested positive, hospitals located far from their homes and discomfort with the use of condoms to prevent further transmissions and complications. Also, the advancement in gestational age improves the antenatal attendees’ perception on PMTCT of HIV services.