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Scholarly Works (2 results)

  • Thesis
  • Peer Reviewed
UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2022)

Introduction: Myanmar has prioritized HIV testing services and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services to reach the milestone - 95% of people living with HIV know their status and eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Many people living with HIV had late diagnoses for HIV in many countries in the Southeast Asian region. This study assessed HIV testing and its associated factors among women aged 15-49 years in Myanmar and other selected Southeast Asian countries - Cambodia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.Methods: Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using the 2015-16 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data to determine factors associated with lifetime HIV testing uptake by marital status and having an HIV test as part of antenatal care (ANC) among women in Myanmar. A comparative analysis of the four selected countries was conducted using data from the 2015-16 Myanmar DHS, the 2014 Cambodia DHS, the 2017 Philippines DHS, and the 2016 Timor-Leste DHS to assess lifetime HIV testing and associated factors among women. Literature review and the conceptual framework adopted from Anderson’s Behavioral Model of health services guided the inclusion of potential predictors in this study. Results: The proportions of lifetime HIV testing among women aged 15-49 years were significantly varied by marital status in Myanmar. Poorest wealth index, living in rural areas, lack of comprehensive knowledge of HIV, having < 4 ANC visits, and no counseling on HIV during ANC were negatively associated with having an HIV test as part of ANC in Myanmar. Lifetime HIV testing rate was highest in Cambodia and lowest in Timor-Leste. Marital status, education level, wealth index, places of residence, and comprehensive knowledge of HIV were significantly associated with lifetime HIV testing uptake among women in all selected Southeast Asian countries. Conclusion: Health education campaigns for HIV should target women and adolescent girls to increase comprehensive knowledge of HIV. Effective integration of HIV testing services to related healthcare services, and tailoring HIV testing services to rural communities and youth, financial assistance, and a multisectoral approach for creating more educational and employment opportunities are needed to reduce gaps in HIV testing among women.

    Cover page: HIV Testing and its Associated Factors among Women in Myanmar and Other Selected Southeast Asian Countries
    • Article
    • Peer Reviewed
    UCLA Previously Published Works (2023)

    Background

    Southeast Asian countries have been trying to increase HIV testing coverage of women since awareness of HIV status is essential to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This study determined factors related to lifetime HIV testing uptake among women aged 15-49 years in four Southeast Asian countries: Myanmar, Cambodia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste.

    Methods

    This study used cross-sectional data from the 2015-16 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), the 2014 Cambodia DHS, the 2017 Philippines National DHS and the 2016 Timor-Leste DHS. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with lifetime HIV testing among women aged 15-49 years who completed the surveys in each country and ran a fixed effects logistic regression model using pooled data.

    Results

    The proportions of lifetime HIV testing uptake among women aged 15-49 years were 42.1% in Cambodia, 19.5% in Myanmar, 4.6% in the Philippines, and 3.7% in Timor-Leste. Marital status, age, education, and wealth were significantly associated with lifetime HIV testing uptake among women in all four countries. Other factors (e.g., comprehensive knowledge of HIV, rural/urban residence, positive attitudes towards negotiation for safer sex) were also significant determinants of HIV testing uptake among women in some of these countries.

    Conclusions

    A multi-sectoral collaboration of related sectors and organizations is necessary to increase access to HIV testing and HIV knowledge of women to overcome the barriers to HIV testing. It is critical to make HIV testing services available and accessible to women, especially in rural areas.
      Cover page: Factors associated with lifetime HIV testing among women in four Southeast Asian countries: Evidence from the demographic and health surveys
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