Socio-ecological predictors of HIV testing in women of childbearing age in Nigeria

Introduction: HIV remains a public health problem in Nigeria. Women within the age of 15 to 49 years, the childbearing age, have a prevalence rate of 1.9%, higher than that of their male counterparts of the same age group. Women can transmit HIV to their partners and their children. Nigeria accounts for 30% of global transmission of HIV from mother to child. Therefore, the study seeks to identify the socio-ecological predictors of HIV testing because HIV testing is the gateway to HIV prevention to achieve the sustainable development goal of zero new infections by the year 2030. Methods: the study was a cross-sectional study, analyzing the 2013 Nigeria demographic and health survey data using SPSS V27. Results: the result of the study indicated a higher odds ratio for good comprehensive knowledge of HIV (p<0.001, OR=3.81), good attitude to HIV (p<0.001, OR=2.50), and high perceived risk of HIV (p<0.001, OR=2.03). A low odds ratio was observed for good cultural belief despite the significance of the association (p<0.001, OR=0.83). Conclusion: socio-ecological factors of HIV knowledge, attitude to HIV, perceived risk, and cultural belief were significant predictors of HIV testing in women of childbearing age. Programs targeted at women aged 15-19 years will enhance HIV testing as the gateway to HIV prevention and achieve the 95-95-95 target and zero new infections by 2030.