Socioeconomic Inequalities in the HIV Testing during Antenatal Care in Vietnamese Women

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 16; no. 18; p. 3240
• Main Authors: Chu, Dinh-Toi, Vo, Hoang-Long, Tran, Dang-Khoa, Nguyen Si Anh, Hao, Bao Hoang, Long, Tran Nhu, Phong, Nguyen Ngoc, Khanh, Thu Nguyen, Trang, Pham Van, Quyet, Tien, Nguyen Le Bao, Thanh, Vo Van, Nga, Vu Thi, Luu Quang, Thuy, Minh, Le Bui, Pham, Van Huy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 04-09-2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; AIDS; Female; HIV; HIV Infections - diagnosis; Households; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - prevention & control; Mass Screening - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Mothers; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - prevention & control; Prenatal Care - statistics & numerical data; Serologic Tests; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomics; Vietnam; Womens health; Young Adult; Vietnam; Asia-Pacific region; HIV testing; ethnicity; Vietnamese women; pregnancy; socioeconomic inequalities
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16183240

Although HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) testing for all women has been promoted by Vietnam's Ministry of Health since 2000, test acceptance rates in this country were reported to be less than 30% in the community. This country has been facing the barriers to approach the national services towards transmission prevention from mother to child including HIV testing during antenatal care (ANC) towards mothers. Here, we aim to assess the socioeconomic inequalities in HIV testing during ANC among Vietnamese women. This study used available data from the Vietnam Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2014. Overall, the prevalence of HIV testing during antenatal care was 30% and the concentrate index (CCI) was 0.1926. There was significant inequality between women classified as poor and rich, and when stratified by social characteristics, inequality was found in women aged 15-49 years (CCI: 0.4), living in rural areas (CCI: 0.3), belonging to ethnic minorities (CCI: 0.5) and having primary or less education (CCI: 0.4). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, ethnicity and socioeconomic status were significant factors associated with HIV testing during ANC. We found the prevalence of HIV testing during ANC was low, and its inequalities were associated with age, living area, ethnicity, education, and economic status.