Objective:
Evaluating the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of puerperal women on HIV infection and its prevention.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study with 278 puerperal women hospitalized in the rooming-in system. Interviews were carried out with the use of a questionnaire to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices on HIV infection and its prevention.
Results:
The age of puerperal women ranged from 13 to 43 years, with prevalence of the range between 20 and 34 years. The level of education between eight and 11 years of studies was predominant, as well as the stable union. Only 54 (19.4%) puerperal women showed adequate knowledge, six showed adequate attitude (2.2%) and four showed appropriate practices (1.4%).
Conclusion:
The knowledge was inadequate due to the low percentage of puerperal women able to mention at least three ways of transmission and three forms of preventing the virus; inadequate attitude was marked by the high percentage of puerperal women who perceive becoming infected with HIV as 'unlikely', and 'little likely' that the same occurs with their partners. The inadequate practice was influenced by the low percentage of HIV testing in the recommended periods and the lack of condom use during pregnancy.
Obstetric nursing; Postpartum period; HIV infections; HIV/prevention & control; Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome/ prevention & control