Exploring the link between household structure and women's household decision-making autonomy in Mauritania.

Governments in sub-Saharan African countries aim to increase married women's household decision-making autonomy as it remains a critical determinant of desirable health behaviours such as healthcare utilisation, antenatal care visits, and safer sex negotiation. However, very few studies explore how household structure (i.e., monogamous or polygamous) is associated with married women's household decision-making autonomy. Our paper seeks to address this gap. Using the 2019-20 Mauritania Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative dataset, and applying logistic regression analysis, we explore how married women's household structure is associated with their household decision-making autonomy. We find that 9% of married women are in polygamous marriages, while 63% and 65% are involved in decision-making about their health and large household purchases, respectively. Additionally, 76% and 56% are involved in decision-making about visiting family or relatives and household expenditures. After accounting for socio-economic and demographic factors, we find that compared to women from monogamous households, those from polygamous households are less likely to participate in decision-making about their health (OR=0.65, p < 0.001), making large household purchases (OR=0.65, p < 0.001), visiting family or relatives (OR=0.72, p < 0.001), and household expenditure (OR=0.58, p < 0.001). Based on our findings, we recommend the urgent need to review and re-evaluate policies and approaches seeking to promote gender equality and women's autonomy in Mauritania. Specifically, it may be critical for intervention programmes to work around reducing power imbalances in polygamous household structures that continue to impact married women's household decision-making autonomy adversely. Such interventions should centre married women's socio-economic status as a central component of their empowerment strategies in Mauritania.

Assessing the role of dental insurance in oral health care disparities in Canadian adults.

Background: This study examines the association of dental insurance with oral health care access and utilization in Canada while accounting for income and sociodemographic factors. It contributes to a baseline of oral health care disparities before the implementation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). Data and methods: This retrospective study of Canadians aged 18 to 64 years is based on data from the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to evaluate the association of dental insurance with the recency and frequency of dental visits, as well as avoidance of dental care because of cost. Results: Overall, 65.7% of Canadians reported visiting a dental professional in the previous year: 74.6% of those with private insurance, 62.8% with public insurance, and 49.8% uninsured. Cost-related avoidance of dental care was 16.0%, 20.9%, and 47.4% for the privately insured, publicly insured, and uninsured, respectively. After adjustment, adults with private (odds ratio [OR]=2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.32 to 2.78) and public (OR=2.17; 95% CI: 1.75 to 2.68) insurance were more likely to have visited a dental professional in the last year compared with those without insurance. Similarly, both private (OR=0.22; 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.25) and public (OR=0.22; 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.29) insurance holders showed a significantly lower likelihood of avoiding dental visits because of cost when compared with uninsured individuals. Interpretation: This study showed the significant association of dental insurance with access to oral health care in Canada, contributing to setting a critical benchmark for assessments of the CDCP's effectiveness in addressing oral health disparities.

Beyond Purchasing Power: The Association Between Sense of Community Belongingness and Food Insecurity Among Older Adults in Canada.

Food is a basic human need, yet a significant proportion of older Canadian adults are vulnerable to food insecurity. The health risks associated with aging make food insecurity among this subgroup a critical policy issue. In Canada, policy solutions to food insecurity are however skewed toward the provision of income support to vulnerable groups. While these income support programs are timely, little emphasis is placed on social factors such as sense of community belongingness. This is despite evidence that food insecurity is a socially mediated experience that goes beyond the ability to purchase food. Drawing data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 24,546) and using negative log-log regression, we examined the association between sense of community belongingness and food insecurity among older adults. Findings show that older adults with a "very weak" (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40, p < .001) and "somewhat weak" (OR = 1.23, p < .01) sense of community belongingness were significantly more likely to be food insecure compared to those with a "very strong" sense of belongingness. This study contributes to a growing body of the literature that demonstrates the need for an integrated approach to addressing food insecurity - one that goes beyond income support to include consideration of social factors like sense of community belonging.

Polygamy and safe sex negotiation among married women: evidence from Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Research indicates that women in polygamous relationships may be exposed to unique sexual and reproductive health challenges. However, there are very few studies that examine whether polygamy is associated with safe sex negotiation among married women in sub-Saharan Africa, including Cameroon. METHODS: Using the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey, we apply logistic regression analysis to compare two indicators of safe sex negotiation (i.e., the ability to ask for condom use and refuse sex against their partner) between polygamous (n = 1,628) and monogamous (n = 5,686) women aged 15-49 years old. RESULTS: We find that 67% and 50% of married women can ask for condom use and refuse sex against their partner, respectively. Multivariate analysis further reveals that women in polygamous relationships are less likely to report they can ask for condom use (OR = 0.71, p < 0.001) and refuse sex (OR = 0.64, p < 0.001) in comparison to their monogamous counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis found that in Cameroon, women in polygamous relationships, Muslim women, married women with inadequate HIV knowledge, those who had never been tested for HIV and women with lower socioeconomic status are less likely to negotiate for safe sex. Based on these findings, we discuss several implications for policymakers, including the establishment of a comprehensive family planning educational program and the deployment of community health workers to disseminate educational initiatives pertaining to safe sex negotiation to community members.

Healthcare seeking behaviour during illness among older adults in Ghana: does food security status matter?

BACKGROUND: Ghana's growing older adult population raises critical questions regarding healthcare for these older adults. At the same time, food insecurity is high among older adults in Ghana. This underscores the need to investigate the issues of food security and healthcare seeking behaviour among older adults. However, research on the association between food security status and healthcare seeking behaviour among older adults is scant in the Ghanaian context. In this study, we advance the social gerontology literature by examining the association between food security status and healthcare seeking behaviors among older adults. METHODS: Using a multi-stage sampling framework, we collected data from a representative sample of older adults across three regions in Ghana. Data were analyzed using logistic regression technique. We determined the significance of the test at a probability value of 0.05 or less. RESULTS: Over two-thirds (69%) of respondents did not seek care during their last illness. Additionally, 36% of respondents were severely food insecure, 21% were moderately food insecure, 7% were mildly food insecure, and 36% were food secure. After controlling for theoretically relevant variables, our multivariable analysis revealed a statistically significant association between food security status and healthcare seeking behaviors with older people who are food secure (OR = 1.80, p < 0.01) and mildly food insecure (OR = 1.89, p < 0.05) being more likely to seek healthcare compared with their counterparts who are food insecure. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the need for sustainable intervention programs to improve food access and health service use among older adults in Ghana and similar contexts.

The association between mother-to-child HIV transmission knowledge and antenatal care utilisation in Cameroon.

While the health benefits of antenatal care (ANC) utilisation for mothers and their infants have been well documented, very few studies have explored the association between mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mothers' utilisation of ANC in HIV endemic regions such as Cameroon. To address this void in the literature, we use the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey to examine the association between mother's knowledge of MTCT of HIV and the three strands of ANC utilisation (i.e., number of ANC visits, timing to first ANC visit, and place of delivery). We found that women with adequate MTCT knowledge were more likely to have four to seven ANC visits (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 1.39, p < 0.001) and more than eight ANC visits (RRR = 1.43, p < 0.05), compared to their counterparts with inadequate knowledge. Similarly, women with adequate MTCT knowledge were more likely to attend ANC within the first trimester (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16, p < 0.05) and to give birth in a health facility (OR = 1.37, p < 0.001) than their counterparts with inadequate MTCT of HIV knowledge. These results remained robust after controlling for theoretically relevant variables. Based on these findings, we discussed several implications for policymakers and recommendations for future research.

Understanding the association between unmet dental care needs and household food security status among older people in Ghana.

The literature recognizes food insecurity as a barrier to access to health care services. However, we know very little about the association between food insecurity and unmet dental care needs among older people in Ghana. To address this void in the literature, this study uses a representative survey of adults aged 60 or older from three regions in Ghana to examine whether older people who experienced household food insecurity differently report unmet dental care needs in comparison to their counterparts without any food insecurity. We find that 40% of older adults reported unmet dental care needs. Results from logistic regression analysis show that older people who experienced severe household food insecurity were more likely to report unmet dental care needs, compared to those who did not experience any type of food insecurity, even after accounting for theoretically relevant variables (OR = 1.94, p < 0.05). Based on these findings, we discuss several implications for policymakers and directions for future research.

Understanding the uptake of HIV testing among women in Liberia: the role of female genital mutilation/cutting.

Past studies show that the processes of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) on women can increase their susceptibility to HIV infection. This is because genital tears or ruptures, scars and wounds from FGM/C may expose survivors to heightened risks of contracting sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, if they engage in unsafe sexual practices. Hence, there is the need to promote HIV screening and testing among this population. Yet, in Liberia, there is a dearth of studies exploring the uptake of HIV testing among women who have experienced FGM/C. To understand this relationship, we used the 2019-2020 Liberia Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS) and employed logistic regression analysis to answer the following questions: (1) Are FGM/C survivors less likely to have been tested for HIV compared to non-FGM/C women; and (2) How does this disparity in the uptake of HIV testing differ by women's marital status? We found that survivors of FGM/C were less likely to have been tested for HIV than non-FGM/C women, even after accounting for theoretically relevant variables (OR = 0.83, p < 0.01). In response to our second question, we found that survivors of FGM/C who were formerly married were less likely to have been tested for HIV compared to their non-FGM/C counterparts (OR = 0.48, p < 0.01). These findings highlight the importance of trauma-informed HIV prevention strategies in Liberia, and the need for policymakers to take a holistic approach to addressing the challenges that FGM/C survivors, especially formerly married women, may face in accessing HIV prevention and testing services, and to work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for all at-risk groups.

Reducing HIV misconceptions among females and males in Malawi: are we making progress?

Policy response to endemic HIV prevalence rates in Malawi has prioritised reducing HIV misconceptions through dissemination of factual information about HIV transmission. Yet, over three decades after the implementation of these strategies, we know little about how effective they have been in dispelling misconceptions that may be associated with new HIV infections. Using the 2004, 2010 and 2015/16 Malawi Demographic and Health Surveys and applying multivariate logistic regression, this study examined how endorsement of HIV misconceptions among males and females have changed over time. For women, we found at the bivariate level that the odds of endorsing misconception about HIV transmission were higher in 2004 (OR = 1.38, p < 0.001) but lower in 2015-16 (OR = 0.92, p < 0.001) compared to 2010. We also observed that the difference between 2015-16 and 2010 in misconception endorsement was largely supressed by socioeconomic characteristics (OR = 1.06, p < 0.01). It is also found at the bivariate level that, compared to men in 2010, men in 2004 (OR = 1.23, p < 0.05) were more likely to endorse misconception about HIV transmission although those in 2015-16 (OR = 0.92, p < 0.05) were less likely to do so. Once we accounted for behavioural variables, the significant impact for 2015-16 (OR = 0.98, p > 0.05), compared to 2010, was fully attenuated. Based on our findings, we recommend increasing efforts at reaching women and men with HIV information. It is also crucial to improve women's socioeconomic status to ensure a substantial reduction in their endorsement of HIV misconceptions in Malawi.

Difficulties accessing health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: examining the intersectionality between immigrant status and visible minority status.

BACKGROUND: Difficulties accessing health care services can result in delaying in seeking and obtaining treatment. Although these difficulties are disproportionately experienced among vulnerable groups, we know very little about how the intersectionality of realities experienced by immigrants and visible minorities can impact their access to health care services since the pandemic. METHODS: Using Statistics Canada's Crowdsourcing Data: Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians-Experiences of Discrimination, we combine two variables (i.e., immigrant status and visible minority status) to create a new variable called visible minority immigrant status. This multiplicative approach is commonly used in intersectionality research, which allows us to explore disadvantages experienced by minorities with multiplicative identities. RESULTS: Main results show that, compared to white native-born, visible minority immigrants are less likely to report difficulties accessing non-emergency surgical care (OR = 0.55, p < 0.001), non-emergency diagnostic test (OR = 0.74, p < 0.01), dental care (OR = 0.71, p < 0.001), mental health care (OR = 0.77, p < 0.05), and making an appointment for rehabilitative care (OR = 0.56, p < 0.001) but more likely to report difficulties accessing emergency services/urgent care (OR = 1.46, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We conclude that there is a dynamic interplay of factors operating at multiple levels to shape the impact of COVID-19 related needs to be addressed through changes in social policies, which can tackle unique struggles faced by visible minority immigrants.

Utilization of breast cancer screening in Kenya: what are the determinants?

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer accounts for 23% of all cancer cases among women in Kenya. Although breast cancer screening is important, we know little about the factors associated with women's breast cancer screening utilization in Kenya. Using the Andersen's behavioural model of health care utilization, we aim to address this void in the literature. METHODS: We draw data on the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey and employ univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: We find that women's geographic location, specifically, living in a rural area (OR = 0.89; p < 0.001) and the North Eastern Province is associated with lower odds of women being screened for breast cancer. Moreover, compared to the more educated, richer and insured, women who are less educated, poorer, and uninsured (OR = 0.74; p < 0.001) are less likely to have been screened for breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, we recommend place and group-specific education and interventions on increasing breast cancer screening in Kenya.

Hepatitis B knowledge among women and men in the upper west region of Ghana: What sources of health information matter?

Despite the vital role of accurate health information in reducing the spread of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in endemic contexts such as Ghana, little is known about how health information sources may influence disparities in the knowledge of HBV transmission among women and men. This study examines the association between sources of health information and knowledge of HBV transmission in the Upper West Region (UWR) of Ghana. Data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 1061) was analyzed using gender-specific multivariate ordered logistic regression models. The results show that, women who obtained health information from religious-based programs (OR = 4.04, P < .05), higher-level facilities (OR = 2.37, P < .05), and primary health facilities (OR = 1.83, P < .1) were more likely to have good knowledge of HBV transmission compared to non-facility-based programs. Similarly, men who accessed health information from religious-based programs only, were more likely to have good knowledge of HBV transmission (OR = 2.14, P < .05) compared to non-facility-based programs. The results demonstrate the importance of health information sources on knowledge of disease transmission and prevention in a resource-poor context. Based on our findings, we suggest the scaling-up of information programs at health facilities in rural areas and the expansion of HBV services in the UWR in contribution towards the attainment of SDG #3.3.

Health insurance enrolment in the Upper West Region of Ghana: Does food security matter?

Toward achieving universal health coverage, Ghana's national health insurance has been acclaimed as a pro-poor scheme, yet been criticized for leaving the poor behind. Arising from this is how poverty has been operationalized and how poor people are targeted for enrolment into the scheme. We examine the role of food insecurity (not currently considered) as a multidimensional vulnerability concept on enrolment into Ghana's health insurance using binary logistics regression on cross-sectional survey of household heads (n = 1438) in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Our analyses show that heads of severely food-insecure households were significantly less likely to enroll in national health insurance scheme (NHIS) relative to households who reported being food-secure (OR = 0.36, P < .05). We also found education, occupation, and religion as significant predictors of health insurance enrolment. Based on our findings, it is crucial to incorporate food security status in the identification of vulnerable people for free enrolment in Ghana's health insurance.

Exposure to mass media family planning messages among post-delivery women in Nigeria: testing the structural influence model of health communication.

OBJECTIVES: While media campaigns are documented to be useful for increasing the uptake of family planning, very little is known about the population prevalence and correlates of exposure to mass media family planning messages among post-delivery women in Nigeria. We aimed to address this void by exploring the underlying factors that explain disparities in exposure to mass media family planning messages among post-delivery women in Nigeria. METHODS: Our study was a secondary analysis of the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative dataset of men and women. Using logistic regression techniques and drawing on the structural influence model of health communication, we explored post-delivery women's (N = 13,889) exposure to mass media family planning messages in Nigeria. RESULTS: We found that 32% of post-delivery women were exposed to family planning messages on mass media in Nigeria. At the bivariate level, Muslim women were less likely to be exposed to mass media family planning messages compared with Christian women (odds ratio [OR] 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36, 0.41); however, the OR became positive once we controlled for structural determinants such as household wealth and education (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.07, 1.40). In the multivariate analysis, we found that traditionalist women (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.14, 0.58) and women from rural areas (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.62, 0.76) were less likely to be exposed to such messages. Moreover, richer, better educated, and employed women were more likely to be exposed to mass media family planning messages compared with their poorer, less educated and unemployed counterparts. Similarly, living in the South West region was positively associated with higher odds of being exposed to such messages. CONCLUSION: Findings were largely consistent with the structural influence model of health communication, as highlighted by inequalities in exposure to mass media messages. Based on these findings, we provide several policy recommendations.

Women's household decision-making autonomy and safer sex negotiation in Nigeria: An analysis of the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.

Although married women's safer sex negotiation with their husbands is critical in reducing new HIV infections in Nigeria, its linkage to women's household decision-making autonomy is less explored in Nigeria. Drawing data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and using the logistic regression technique, we examined the associations between women's household decision-making autonomy and two indicators of the ability to engage in safer sex including whether married women 1) can refuse sex and 2) ask for condom use during sexual intercourse with husbands. Findings indicate that 64% and 41% of married women can refuse sex and ask for condom use, respectively. While the impact of women's household decision-making autonomy on the ability to refuse sex remained statistically significant after controlling for theoretically relevant variables (OR = 1.15; p < 0.001), its impact on the ability to ask for condom use became weakly significant once socioeconomic variables were controlled (OR = 1.03; p < 0.1). Based on these results, we have two suggestions. First, it may be important that marital-based policies and counselling promote environments in which married women can establish equal power relations with their husbands. Second, it is also important to eliminate structural barriers that hinder married women's economic opportunities in Nigeria.

Exploring the linkage between exposure to mass media and HIV testing among married women and men in Ghana.

Although HIV testing is critical to the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, utilization rate of HIV testing services among married women and men remains low in Ghana. Mass media, as a tool to increase overall HIV testing turnouts, has been considered one of the important strategies in promoting and enhancing behavioural changes related to HIV/AIDS prevention. Using the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, the current study examines the relationship between levels of exposure to print media, radio, and television and the uptake of HIV testing among married women and men in Ghana. Results show that HIV testing is more prevalent among married women than their male counterparts. We also find that higher levels of exposure to radio is associated with HIV testing among women, while higher levels of exposure to print media and television are associated with HIV testing among men. Implications of these findings are discussed for Ghana's HIV/AIDS strategic framework, which aims to expanding efforts at dealing with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Specifically, it is important for health educators and programme planners to deliver HIV-related messages through television, radio, and print media to increase the uptake of HIV testing particularly among married women and men in Ghana.

Persistent misconceptions about HIV transmission among males and females in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of HIV in Malawi is one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, and misconceptions about its mode of transmission are considered a major contributor to the continued spread of the virus. METHODS: Using the 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey, the current study explored factors associated with misconceptions about HIV transmission among males and females. RESULTS: We found that higher levels of ABC prevention knowledge were associated with lower likelihood of endorsing misconceptions among females and males (OR = 0.85, p < 0.001; OR = 0.85, p < 0.001, respectively). Compared to those in the Northern region, both females and males in the Central (OR = 0.54, p < 0.001; OR = 0.53, p < 0.001, respectively) and Southern regions (OR = 0.49, p < 0.001; OR = 0.43, p < 0.001, respectively) were less likely to endorse misconceptions about HIV transmission. Moreover, marital status and ethnicity were significant predictors of HIV transmission misconceptions among females but not among males. Also, household wealth quintiles, education, religion, and urban-rural residence were significantly associated with endorsing misconceptions about HIV transmission. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, we recommend that education on HIV transmission in Malawi should integrate cultural and ethnic considerations of HIV/AIDS.

Endorsement of HIV misconceptions over time among females and males in Haiti.

To address high HIV prevalence rates in Haiti, disseminating information about HIV transmission has been emphasized. Yet, after several decades, we do not know how effective HIV information dissemination has been in reducing HIV misconceptions. Using the 2005-06, 2012, and 2016-17 Haiti Demographic and Health Surveys and applying logistic regression, we found nuanced gender dynamics in endorsing HIV misconceptions over time. Among females at the bivariate level, the odds of endorsement of HIV misconceptions in 2012 (OR = 0.87, p < 0.05) and 2016-17 (OR = 0.68, p < 0.001) had declined compared to 2005-06. At the multivariate level, however, we observed that demographic factors suppressed the difference between 2005-06 and 2012, although those in 2016-17 (OR = 0.71, p < 0.001) were still less likely to endorse HIV misconceptions. However, this relationship disappeared once we added behavioral factors (OR = 0.93, p > 0.05). Among males, after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors at the multivariate level, those in 2012 (OR = 1.55, p < 0.001) and 2016-17 (OR = 1.24, p < 0.01) were more likely to endorse HIV misconceptions compared to men in 2005-06. We recommend that while improving women's access to HIV services, it is important to incorporate the HIV needs of males into the National HIV policy priority areas.

Toward Ending Violence Against Women: The Association of Intimate Partner Violence With Food Security Status Among Ever-Married Women in Cameroon.

Despite an extensive body of literature that explores potential mechanisms explaining the factors associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by women, very few studies have studied the association of food security status with women's experience of IPV in sub-Saharan Africa countries, including Cameroon. Using data from the 2018 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey (n = 4,690), we explore the association between food security status and three distinct forms of IPV (i.e., emotional, sexual, and physical IPV) among ever-married women in Cameroon. Adjusting for socioeconomic, demographic, and attitudinal and behavioral characteristics, we found that women with severe (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09, p < .01), moderate (OR = 1.88, p < .05), and mild (OR = 1.76, p < .05) food insecurity were more likely to experience sexual IPV, compared to those without any food insecurity, whereas women with severe food insecurity were more likely to experience physical IPV (OR = 1.89, p < .001). Although women with severe (OR = 1.51, p < .01) and moderate (OR = 1.67, p < .001) food insecurity had a higher likelihood of experiencing emotional IPV at a bivariate level, we found that these associations became no longer significant in our adjusted model. These findings suggest that food insecurity is a critical risk factor for IPV among ever-married women in Cameroon. Addressing IPV requires a comprehensive strategy that places special emphasis on households experiencing food insecurity. There is also an urgent need to implement educational programs to increase awareness of the interconnection between food insecurity and IPV and to allocate resources to community-based initiatives that empower women both economically and socially.

Knowledge of mother-to-child transmission of HIV among women living with HIV in Malawi.

OBJECTIVES: To reduce the incidence of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in Malawi, interventions have been created for women to be informed about the MTCT of HIV and for women living with HIV to be entered into the HIV care cascade to ensure safer deliveries. Our study aimed to examine the effectiveness of these strategies by exploring the determinants of adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV among women living with HIV in Malawi. METHODS: We used the 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey data and applied logistics regression analysis to explore the determinants of adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV among women living with HIV. RESULTS: Our findings estimated that 75% of women living with HIV possessed adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV. We also found that compared to those with no formal education, women with primary education (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.04, 3.41) and secondary education or higher (OR = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.21, 5.62) were more likely to have adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV. Furthermore, women who were resident in rural areas (OR = 2.97, 95% CI = 1.58, 5.57), were more likely to have adequate knowledge of MTCT of HIV relative to those in urban areas. Finally, women who had adequate HIV knowledge (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.19, 2.89) and those who rejected the endorsement of HIV stigma and discrimination (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.39, 3.81) were more likely to have adequate knowledge about the MTCT of HIV. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, there is an urgent need to offer women living with HIV in Malawi the opportunity to increase their knowledge of MTCT of HIV if the country is to make progress towards the elimination of MTCT of HIV as part of the overall strategy to contain new HIV infections in the country.