HIV knowledge, Risk perception and Demand forecasting for VCT/PMTCT

This community based study among young women explored perception of risk and demand for VCT and PMTCT. Knowledge about condom use as a means to prevent HIV was very low and nearly two-thirds of the women were unaware that a person can have HIV without symptoms. The majority of women perceived themselves as to be at some risk of HIV infection. A lack of trust in a male partner, and partner s promiscuity were the most common reasons given for perceived high personal risk. Women believed that a woman would go for HIV testing if she felt to be at risk. Women correctly understood that their own and their partner s risk was bound together but believed that a woman could not disclose her seropositive status to her partner. This underlines the importance of male involvement in a PMTCT program because temporary migration from Nouna District to the Ivory Coast is not uncommon and polygamy is legally possible and practiced. The elevated perceived willingness to participate in a VCT/PMTCT program if provided with anti retro viral therapy (ART) indicates that a successful program needs to be actually beneficial to the participants.