Factors That Affect The Multi-sectoral Cooperation In The Prevention Of Mtct Of Hiv Management

Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has become a major global health threat in the last two decades. HIV infection associated with Mother-To-Child Transmission (MTCT) increases the risk of HIV being transmitted from high risk populations to the general population, especially with regard to children's health. China is facing such a challenge, because there has been an increase in the proportion of MTCT of HIV in reported cases from 0.1% in 1998 to 1.6% in 2007. In this regard, it is critical to carry out intervention measures to prevent MTCT (PMTCT) of HIV to reduce the risk of MTCT of HIV. However, the implementation of these intervention measures requires different health sector to engage in collaboration, to promote effective management of MTCT of HIV. In China, emerging with the implementation of these measures of PMTCT of HIV is the concern for a lack of evaluation of building collaboration between the various sectors. This highlights the importance of evaluating affection of multi-sectoral collaboration by understanding the barriers to collaboration between different health sectors in China. The study will serve this aim.The present study is interpretive and explanatory in nature with field research utilizing qualitative methods to develop an in-depth understanding of barriers to multi-sectoral collaboration in PMTCT of HIV in China. The primary data collection methods were semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus groups, with stakeholder identification, participation observation and document research included as supporting data collection methods. Data analysis has utilized thematic analysis informed by grounded theory methodology.The research has identified that there are four categories of barriers to multi-sectoral collaboration in PMTCT of HIV: a lack of capacity for engagement; no to meet stakeholders' needs for engagement; unclear responsibility and function for engagement; a lack of trust and understanding between different health sectors. Each of these comprises a number of factors clustered under different themes. An explanatory framework has been built to present the interrelations and interactions between the categories, themes and factors, all of which influence multi-sectoral collaboration in PMTCT of HIV in China.The findings of the study enhance our the understanding of factors which influence multi-sectoral collaboration and provide useful information for policy-makers. At the end of thesis, RC strategy is recommended to overcome barriers to multi-sectoral collaboration to effectively manage the risk of MTCT of HIV in China in the future, for in practice, risk communication (RC) strategy has been proved effective in facilitating multi-sectoral collaboration by strengthening understanding of stakeholders' needs and concerns in the collaboration. This study serves this purpose by examining these barriers to the collaboration between different health sectors in the implementation of intervention measures of PMTCT of HIV in China, and provides information to develop RC strategy to overcome these barriers in the future.