Abstract:

Background: Among the 3.2 million children living with HIV worldwide 90% reside in sub–Saharan Africa. Tanzania being one of the affected countries with HIV epidemic has pediatric HIV prevalence of 15%. “The WHO 2013 Consolidated Guidelines on the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and preventing HIV infection: Recommendation for public health approach” highly recommends provider-initiated testing and counseling and linkage to prevention and care and treatment services in HIV epidemic areas like Tanzania. Moreover parents/caregivers are among the key players for the adoption of PITC/HIV testing services in children. Understanding their knowledge of HIV testing services in children, how they perceive such services and their practice in maximizing early identification of HIV in children through HIV testing would help in strategizing ways to increase the uptake of pediatric HIV testing services.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study design. A well-structured questionnaire with both close and open-ended questions was used and analyzed quantitatively. Data was entered in Epi-data software to ensure completeness and cleaning before transported to STATA for analysis. Ethical clearance was sought from Joint CUHAS and BMC Ethical review board.

Results: 36.6% of parents/caregivers were adequately knowledgeable about HIV testing services in children, in an unadjusted logistic regression analysis knowledge showed to be associated with level of education, 269 (70.8%) agreed that HIV testing in children is of highest important and most of respondents 314 (85.6) report it’s important to test the child to determine child’s HIV status and protect the child if the mother is HIV infected. Overall antenatal practices for both the mother and the child are good except for one practice of parent’s self-initiated HIV testing year after giving birth where only 18.4% were reported to have gone for HIV testing as a follow up.

Conclusion and recommendations: Low knowledge on pediatric HIV testing services in rural settings, with high prevalence of missed opportunity in HIV testing in under 5 children and low practice of parents on HIV testing after birth cause for a need to emphasize for intensifying PITC among mothers/caregivers and provide knowledge on pediatric HIV testing in rural health facilities.