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

Abstract

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.

Measuring socioeconomic inequalities in prenatal HIV test service uptake for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in East Africa: A decomposition analysis

“…This study showed the existence of socioeconomic inequality in prenatal HIV test service utilization in East Africa with this being 15.94% higher among the rich than the poor (p<0.001). This result is consistent with most studies in developing countries, in which women with higher SES had a high probability of using a range of maternal health services including HIV test services during pregnancy [ 31 , 54 – 56 ]. However, the finding contradicts a study in South Africa [ 39 ] that found pro-poor inequality of HIV testing during pregnancy among women attending public health facilities.…”

Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV and associated high-risk behaviours and clinical characteristics: A cross-sectional survey in Vietnam

“…However, a recent study showed that 25% of people receiving ART reported nonoptimal adherence and missed 25% of doses in the last 7 days. 11 HIV/AIDS prevention and control in Vietnam is facing several challenges with inequalities in receiving health services 12,13 ; thus, more endeavours are needed in progress towards HIV elimination in this low-and middle-income country. 14 Since HAART non-adherence is one of the most serious challenges to the success of HIV treatment, much has been done to identify its associated factors.…”

Feasibility, benefits, and cost-effectiveness of adding universal hepatitis B and syphilis testing to routine antenatal care services in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam

“…analysed data of 1,484 women aged 15–49 with live births in the last two years and received HIV testing during antenatal care reported that 88.9% of pregnant women was 34 years old or younger and 83% were Kinh ethnics. 43 In our study, 91.1% pregnant women were 34 years-old or younger and although our study did not collect information on ethnics, 84% people lived in Pho Yen district were Kinh ethnics.…”