Evaluating Public Health Education for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Among Pregnant Women in Cross River State, Nigeria

Rationale: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV remains a critical public health challenge in Nigeria, particularly in resource-constrained regions. Public health education is a cornerstone of the national PMTCT programme, yet limited evidence exists on its awareness, accessibility, usefulness, and acceptance among pregnant women in Cross River State. Understanding these dimensions is essential for optimizing programme design and maternal and child health outcomes. Objectives: The study aimed to assess public health education services in the prevention of MTCT of HIV among pregnant women attending St. Joseph’s Hospital, Ikot Ene. Specifically, it evaluated: (1) awareness of PMTCT programmes, (2) accessibility to services, (3) perceived usefulness, and (4) acceptance of the programmes. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted with 222 randomly selected pregnant women attending antenatal care. Data were collected using a structured, validated questionnaire covering socio-demographics and PMTCT programme domains. Descriptive statistics summarized responses, and mean domain scores were calculated. Results: Participants were predominantly married (55.0%) with a mean age of 26.4 years; over half had no formal education. Awareness of PMTCT programmes was moderate-to-high (mean score: 64.0%), while accessibility was generally reported as adequate despite systemic barriers (mean score: 75.5%). Perceived usefulness was high (mean score: 68.0%), and programme acceptance was strongest among all domains (mean score: 78.8%). Notably, 40.5% of participants lacked full awareness, and 65.3% had experienced discouragement, highlighting areas for improvement. Conclusion: Public health education programmes significantly contribute to PMTCT knowledge and uptake, yet structural and socio-cultural barriers limit their full effectiveness. Recommendation: Short- and long-term strategies should include culturally tailored education, health system strengthening, community engagement, and continuous monitoring to enhance awareness, accessibility, and utilization. Thus, effective public health education directly reduces MTCT risk, improves neonatal outcomes, and strengthens maternal health, supporting national and global HIV elimination targets