Two-thirds of pregnant mothers attending antenatal care services at Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia had no comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the magnitude and factors associated with comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care (ANC) services at health institutions in Arsi zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. METHODS: The study employed a health facility-based cross-sectional study design from 18 March to 25 June 2019. Out of an estimated sample size of 4481, a total of 4440 (92.23%) pregnant women were selected by multistage random sampling technique and interviewed. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The model fitness was tested by Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness of fit, which provided a p value of 0.72 and deviance reduced (i.e., −2log likelihood was reduced from 5580.38 to 5069.55 with a p value of 0.000). RESULTS: Out of the total mothers (4440) interviewed, only 1430 (32.2%; 95% confidence interval: (30.83%, 33.60%)) had comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Not knowing safe period to be pregnant (adjusted odds ratio = 0.67; 95% confidence interval: 0.56, 0.81), and not empowering women’s for sexual practice (adjusted odds ratio = 0.50; 95% confidence interval: 0.43, 0.58) let women have less comprehensive knowledge while women who never educated about the sexual matter (adjusted odds ratio = 1.65; 95% confidence interval: 1.42, 1.92), who had a discouraging attitude toward having multiple partners (adjusted odds ratio = 1.53; 95% confidence interval: 1.24, 1.88), who had a discouraging attitude toward premarital sex (adjusted odds ratio = 1.68; 95% confidence interval: 1.38, 2.03), and who had a positive attitude toward accepting HIV/AIDS patients (2.69; 95% confidence interval: 2.34, 3.10) had more comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: Only about one-third (32.2%) of pregnant mothers on ANC follow-up had comprehensive knowledge. Thus, it would be better if the health institutions emphasize educating the mothers attending antenatal care follow-up about HIV/AIDS, for those who do not know pregnancy occurrence date, not empowered of sexual practice, and had an encouraging attitude toward multiple partners, premarital sex, and negative attitude toward accepting HIV/AIDS patients.