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Awareness of HIV infection among pregnant women attending the Elsies River antenatal clinic
Abstract
To date South Africa has failed to stem the rising tide of HIV infection. Voices are increasingly raised about the grim spectre of HlV and AIDS, which is no longer just a health problem, but is also threatening to cripple the economy. At an AIDS summit held on 11 September 1998, it was reported that one in every seven civil servants is HIV-positive and that there are already up to 100 000 AIDS orphans in KwaZulu-Natal The situation described in the press is already an exacerbation of the seroprevalence reported in the Western Cape in October 1997, which was 6.3%2 This in turn is a dramatic increase when compared with the 1.16% reported for 1994 In order to design information and educational campaigns on a local level, knowledge of the attitudes and benefits of intended target groups are needed. By adapting an educational campaign to the specific group, better results are achieved. We chose a target group of women attending the Elsies River Antenatal Clinic. This survey aimed to investigate the extent of their understanding of the disease and its spread. It was aimed specifically at identifying gaps in their understanding that could be addressed by means of an educational campaign, such as a series of informative posters at the clinic.
