TABLE 2.
Caretaker Characteristics and Perceptions of Routine Pediatric HIV Testing
| Total N = 608 (%) |
|
|---|---|
| Female | 537 (88) |
| Relationship to child | |
| Mother | 516 (85) |
| Father | 68 (11) |
| Grandparent | 11 (2) |
| Step parent | 4 (0.7) |
| Aunt | 4 (0.7) |
| Ethnicity | |
| Black-South African | 500 (83) |
| Asian | 40 (7) |
| Black-Other | 31 (5) |
| Colored (mixed race) | 26 (4) |
| White | 9 (1.5) |
| Education | |
| High school or higher | 460 (77) |
| Receives government welfare grant | 211 (36) |
| Previous HIV testing | 586 (96) |
| HIV infected | 188 (32) |
| How comfortable did you feel with your child being offered an HIV test at this clinic today? | 3 (0.5) |
| Not comfortable | 10 (1.6) |
| Somewhat not comfortable | 84 (14) |
| Neutral | 85 (14) |
| Comfortable | 407 (67) |
| Very comfortable | 19 (3) |
| Did not answer question | |
| Possible advantages of routine pediatric HIV testing | |
| Confirms child’s status | 602 (99) |
| Allows for ART | 605 (99) |
| Allows for opportunistic infection prophylaxis | 605 (99) |
| Helps determine whether safe to breast-feed baby | 588 (97) |
| Gives peace of mind | 589 (97) |
| Useful to share with family | 585 (96) |
| Possible disadvantages of routine pediatric HIV testing | |
| Partner may leave them | 129 (21) |
| Other people may find out status | 89 (15) |
| Not ready to find out child’s status | 44 (7) |
| No support in taking care of child | 23 (4) |
| Find out child’s status | 18 (3) |
| Find out own status | 20 (3) |