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Utilization of HIV testing and counselling services by women with disabilities during antenatal care in Uganda: analysis of 2016 demographic and health survey
Authors: Hussaini Zandam, Ilhom Akobirshoev, Allyala Nandakumar and Monika Mitra
Source: BMC Public Health, Volume 21, issue 1984; DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12045-4
Topic(s): Antenatal care
Health care utilization
HIV/AIDS
Country: Africa
  Uganda
Published: NOV 2021
Abstract: Background: HIV testing and counselling during antenatal care (ANC) is critical for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We investigated disparity in utilization of HIV testing and counselling services (HTC) between women with and without disabilities in Uganda. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using the nationally representative 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. The study sampled 10,073 women between age 15–49 who had a live birth in the last 5?years. We estimated unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio for receiving pre-test HIV counselling, obtaining an HIV test result, and post-test HIV counselling by disability status using logistic regressions. Results: We found that women with disabilities were less likely to receive pre-test HIV counselling (59.6 vs 52.4), obtain an HIV test result (68.2 vs 61.4), receive post-test HIV counselling (55.5 vs 51.6), and all HTC services (49.2 vs 43.5). From the regression analysis, women with disabilities were less likely to receive pre-test counselling [AOR?=?0.83; CI?=?0.74, 0.93] and obtain an HIV test result [AOR?=?0.88; CI?=?0.78, 0.99]. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that women with disabilities are less likely to receive HTC service during ANC and highlighted the need for disability-inclusive HIV and reproductive health services. Government, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders should consider funding inclusive campaigns and identifying other mechanisms for disseminating health information and behavioral interventions to women with disabilities.
Web: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-12045-4