Increasing HIV testing among pregnant women in Nigeria: evaluating the traditional birth attendant and primary health center integration (TAP-In) model

ABSTRACT

Engaging Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) may be critical to preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in Nigeria. We integrated TBAs into Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and provided the TBAs with HIV counseling and testing (HCT) training for PMTCT (TAP-In). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of TAP-In on HCT uptake among pregnant women. A quasi-experimental design was used for this study. Twenty PHCs were assigned to the intervention group that integrated TAP-In and 20 were assigned to the control group. Data were collected six months prior to the initiation of TAP-In and six months post, using antenatal clinic registries. Intervention PHCs more than doubled the number of pregnant women who received HCT in their catchment area post TAP-In while control PHCs had no significant change. After initiating TAP-In, intervention PHCs provided almost three times more HCT than the control PHCs (p < 0.01) with TBA provided over half of the HCT post TAP-In. The TAP-In model was effective for increasing HCT among pregnant women.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV/AIDS
• PMTCT
• traditional birth attendants
• Nigeria

Acknowledgements

Officers in charge of PHCs and Traditional birth attendants in Ebonyi State for active participation in TAP-In model implementation. Dr Ayodotun Olutola and CCCRN for their support and contribution.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical consideration

Ethical approval for this study was provided by the Ebonyi state Ministry of Health.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support for this manuscript was provided in part by grants from the National Institute of Health [grant number R21TW010252] and [grant number R01HD087994].