The Influence of HIV/AIDS Literacy in Pregnant Women on Willingness to Undergo PMTCT Examination in Pematangsiantar City, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Background: In 2019, 2,370,473 pregnant women in Indonesia were tested
for HIV, with 6,439 (0.27%) testing positive. Despite the importance of
HIV testing during pregnancy to prevent mother-to-child transmission of
HIV (PMTCT), not all pregnant women are willing to undergo testing.
This study aims to evaluate the impact of health literacy about HIV/AIDS
on pregnant women’s willingness to participate in PMTCT examinations
in Pematangsiantar City. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with
pretest and posttest, including a control group, was employed. The study
population comprised pregnant women in Pematangsiantar City who
had not undergone voluntary counseling and testing (VCT). A total of 102
participants (51 in the experimental group and 51 in the control group)
were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria through
consecutive sampling. Health literacy was measured using the
Indonesian version of the health literacy questionnaire (HLS-EU-SQ10-
IND). Data were analyzed using the McNemar test with a significance
level set at p < 0.05. Results: In the HIV/AIDS literacy group, 32
participants (62.7%) were willing to undergo PMTCT, whereas in the
control group, 32 participants (62.7%) were not willing. The literacy
group showed significant improvements in willingness to undergo
PMTCT after receiving information, with p-values of 0.012 (overall), 0.003
(understanding), 0.021 (assessing), and 0.007 (implementing).
Conversely, the control group did not show significant changes, with pvalues
of 0.375, 0.210, 0.063, and 0.227, respectively. Conclusion: Health
literacy about HIV/AIDS significantly enhances pregnant women’s
willingness to participate in PMTCT. Increased counseling and
information from health workers are crucial for improving PMTCT
coverage.