Short-term Effect of Training in Increasing Midwives’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to HIV and AIDS Prevention

The study aims to analyse the effect of the training intervention program on midwives’ HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Central Java. The training focused on HIV epidemiology, transmissions, co-infections, PITC, risk contacts, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). It was designed to improve midwives’ knowledge, positive attitudes, and HIV/AIDS prevention practices, including reducing fear and stigma concerning people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

This study employed a Quasi-experimental pre-post-test design. The respondents are 50 village midwives equally divided into experimental and control groups. Data were collected using a questionnaire adapted from WHO, and it included questions about participant demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices on HIV and AIDS prevention programs. Furthermore, training consists of lecturing, group discussion, simulation, conversation with PLWHA, and watching a film about HIV including practicum.

There was a positive effect on midwife knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the early detection of HIV cases for pregnant women and reproductive age groups and HIV/AIDS prevention programs. The improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and practices occurred significantly in the intervention compared to the control. The adjustment intervention effects were beneficial and statistically significant (p-value <0.05), particularly the magnitude of the treatment effect for the knowledge score, which increased of 7.73% of the baseline mean knowledge. There was a significant association between knowledge and practices with a p-value of 0.002.

Training midwives in HIV prevention was a beneficial program and positively impacted knowledge, attitudes, and practices. This study recommended the need for comprehensive training for village midwives, especially those related to their tasks in HIV prevention.