Effects of ZDV-based patient education on intentions toward ZDV use, HIV testing and reproduction among a US cohort of women

This study examined the immediate effects of exposure to a patient educatio n brochure concerning the risks and benefits of zidovudine (ZDV) therapy du ring pregnancy to reduce perinatal HIV transmission (protocol ACTG 076) on related knowledge, behavioural intentions and attitudes of women with and a t-risk for HIV-infection. Self-reports were collected from 653 women of chi ldbearing age from community family planning clinics and hospital-based HIV centres in 19 sites from nine US cities between May and November 1995. The intervention was a nine-page patient education brochure in Spanish, Creole and English versions, evenly presenting the pros and cons of ZDV therapy t o reduce perinatal HIV-transmission. Brochure exposure increased knowledge (p < 0.001) for all but one scale concerning ZDV resistance and increased t he likelihood of women reporting intentions to take ZDV during pregnancy (p < 0.001) and to believe ZDV reduced transmission (p < 0.001). Brochure exp osure had differential effects for some subpopulations. Intentions to have or terminate current or future pregnancies, knowledge about ZDV and attitud es toward ZDV varied mostly by ethnicity/race, language preference and HIV status. Regnancy status, age, Education and having an HIV-positive child ha d less impact on the brochure's effect, while income had no impact.