Ghana Medical Journal
Journal / Ghana Medical Journal / Vol. 54 No. 2 (2020): Supplement / Articles

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Published:

Aug 31, 2020

DOI:

10.4314/gmj.v54i2s.13

Keywords:

Barriers; HIV; early infant diagnosis; DNA-PCR; Ghana

Issue

Vol. 54 No. 2 (2020): Supplement

Section

Articles

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Robert D. Nuoh

Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra

Kofi M. Nyarko

Namibia Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia

Charles L. Noora

Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra

Adolphina Addo Lartey

Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra

Priscillia Nortey

Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra

Culbert Nuolabong

Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra

Margaret Lartey

Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana

Ernest Kenu

Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra

Abstract

Objective: We identified socio-demographic, health system and psycho-social barriers to Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) of HIV in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
Design: An unmatched case control study of 96 cases and 96 controls was conducted in the ART centers in Lawra district and Wa Municipality between December 2014 and April 2015.
Setting: A public health facility
Participants: We defined a case as an HIV positive mother with an exposed infant who received EID service between January 2011 and December 2014. A control was defined as HIV Positive Mother with an exposed infant who did not receive EID services between January 2011 and December 2014.
Main outcome: EID by dry blood spot Deoxyribonucleic acid Polymerase chain reaction.
Results: A total of 192 mother-infant pairs were assessed. The mean age of infants at testing for cases was 17.3±14.9 weeks. Mother-to-child-transmission-rate was 2.3%. Factors associated with EID testing included: mother being formally
employed (cOR=2.0: 95%CI:1.1-3.8), maternal formal education (cOR=2.0, 95%CI: 1.1-3.6) and maternal independent source of income (cOR 2.2, 95%CI 1.2-4.1). After adjusting for confounders, maternal independent incomebsource was associated with EID testing (aOR 2.2, 95%CI 1.2-4.1). Median turn-around time of EID result was 11 weeks (IQR 4-27weeks).
Conclusion: Women need to be empowered to gain an independent source of income. This can help maximize the benefits of e-MTCT and increase EID in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
Keywords: Barriers; HIV; early infant diagnosis; DNA-PCR; Ghana
Funding: This work was funded by the authors

Journal Identifiers

eISSN:
print ISSN: 0016-9560