Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey ... - Measure DHS
Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey ... - Measure DHS
Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey ... - Measure DHS
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Data in Tables 5.3.1 <strong>and</strong> 5.3.2 provide an assessment of the level of comprehensiveknowledge of <strong>HIV</strong> transmission <strong>and</strong> prevention. Comprehensive knowledge is defined as knowingthat consistent use of condoms during sexual intercourse <strong>and</strong> having just one uninfected faithfulpartner can reduce the chances of getting <strong>HIV</strong>, knowing that a healthy-looking person can have <strong>HIV</strong>,<strong>and</strong> rejecting the two most common local misconceptions about <strong>HIV</strong> transmission <strong>and</strong> prevention:that <strong>HIV</strong> can be transmitted by mosquito bites <strong>and</strong> by sharing food with a person who has <strong>AIDS</strong>.Despite a high level of knowledge about common misconceptions, the percentage of adultswith comprehensive knowledge about <strong>AIDS</strong> is relatively low—only 40 percent of women <strong>and</strong> 44percent of men. Comprehensive knowledge increases with increasing level of education <strong>and</strong> wealthquintile. It is also considerably higher in urban areas than in rural areas. The lowest comprehensiveknowledge about <strong>AIDS</strong> among men is found in Iringa <strong>and</strong> Zanzibar, while among women, the lowestlevels are found in Rukwa, Iringa, Shinyanga, Singida, <strong>and</strong> Pemba.Figure 5.1 Trends in Knowledge That a Healthy-LookingPerson Can Have the <strong>AIDS</strong> Virus807778100 Percent Women Men84 8481 80866960402001999 TRCHS 2003-04 THIS 2004-05 T<strong>DHS</strong> 2007-08 THMIS<strong>Survey</strong>5.4 KNOWLEDGE OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSIONThe current strategies on <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> in <strong>Tanzania</strong> are geared towards improving the health of<strong>HIV</strong>-infected mothers <strong>and</strong> reducing the transmission of the virus to their children during pregnancy,labour, delivery, postpartum, <strong>and</strong> breastfeeding, as outlined in the National Policy on <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>. Toachieve this, increasing the level of knowledge about the transmission of the virus from mother tochild, <strong>and</strong> reducing the risk of transmission by use of anti-retroviral drugs are critical to achieving thisgoal.All women <strong>and</strong> men age 15-49 years interviewed in the 2007-08 THMIS were asked if thevirus that causes <strong>AIDS</strong> can be transmitted from a mother to a child. If the answer was in theaffirmative, they were further asked whether the virus can be transmitted during pregnancy, duringdelivery, <strong>and</strong> during breastfeeding. They were also asked if a mother who is infected with the <strong>AIDS</strong>virus can reduce the risk of passing the virus to the baby by taking certain drugs during pregnancy.Overall, findings from THMIS 2007-08 indicate that eight in ten women <strong>and</strong> seven in ten menage 15-49 years know that <strong>HIV</strong> can be transmitted from mother to child through breastfeeding (Table5.4). However, only 53 percent of women <strong>and</strong> 44 percent of men know that <strong>HIV</strong> transmission risk canbe reduced if the mother takes special drugs during pregnancy. Knowledge of both these facts iscomparatively higher among women with higher education (completed primary <strong>and</strong> secondary or<strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>-Related Knowledge | 57