Factors Influencing The Uptake Of Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) Services Among Humanimmunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Exposed Infants At St. Francis Hospital Mutolere

Globally, over 400 children are infected with HIV every day and if left untreated, up to 30% of
infected children will die by their first birthday and 50% by the second birthday. The study
determined factors influencing the uptake of early infant diagnosis (EID) services among HIV
Exposed Infants at St. Francis hospital Mutolere Kisoro district. The study involved a descriptive
cross sectional study design using random sampling procedure to recruit care givers and
purposive sampling procedure to recruit health workers on a sample of 45 respondents. Data was
collected using self-administered pretested questionnaires and the collected data was analyzed
using statistical package for social science and Microsoft excels 2010, then presented in form of
percentages and frequency tables and figures.
Study findings showed that 100% of care taker respondents were aware of Early Infant Diagnosis
services. 60% of care taker respondents were females, 40% were males and 40% of care taker
respondents had 29 years and above.
Results from the study also revealed that 100% of care taker respondents reported that there were
presence a health facility in their sub county.40% of health worker respondents revealed lack of
transport to the health facility lead to lost follow up, 64% of care taker respondents reported
waiting time of less than or equal to 30 minutes.
In addition, 56% of care taker respondents reported that the age appropriate for EID sample
collection is between 6 weeks to18 months, 100% of health worker respondents had ever tested
infants for HIV and 66.7% of health workers reported that the test is done once.
The study concluded that uptake of early infant diagnosis is influenced by lack of education.
Lack of paternal support, religious beliefs, long distance as care taker factors; health facility
related factors include lack of integration of PMTCT services in maternal departments, waiting
time and supply chain management. Therefore there should be sensitization about early infant
diagnosis (EID) services and continuous professional development about HIV in infants and the
guidelines of managing and preventing HIV.