Understanding HIV Testing Gaps among Women in the Philippines

The Philippines is experiencing the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region, with new infections increasing by over 500.0% in the last decade. Despite this alarming trend, HIV testing rates among Filipino women remain critically low, and mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) cases are rising. The investigators of this study examined HIV knowledge, identified barriers to testing, and analyzed current HIV testing rates among women in the Philippines to inform efforts toward reaching the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and to eliminate MTCT. A retrospective cross-sectional design was used to analyze data from 25,284 Filipino women ages 15-49, from the 2021-2022 Demographic and Health Survey Program. Univariate and bivariate analyses assessed HIV testing rates alongside knowledge, stigma, and maternal-child health variables. Only 8.9% of women had ever been tested for HIV. Significant knowledge gaps were identified including 78.5% incorrectly believed HIV could be transmitted through shared food, and 72.4% believed mosquitoes could transmit HIV. HIV-related stigma was high, with 61.6% unwilling to purchase food from a vendor living with HIV. Among women with children, only 13.4% had been tested, and 72.6% of currently breastfeeding women had never been tested (p < 0.001). Low HIV testing rates among Filipino women are driven by inadequate knowledge, persistent stigma, and limited access to care. Introducing community-based saliva screening, training community health workers in HIV screening and education, integrating HIV screening into prenatal care, and implementing HIV education programs are essential steps toward building the HIV Continuum of Care and eliminating MTCT in the Philippines.