"Bidan cantik": Psychoeducation on HIV and AIDS to improve the service quality of midwives at Yogyakarta public health center

Background: Midwives play a significant role in preventing HIV transfusion from mother to child since they directly deal with prospective mothers and pregnant women. However, it is considered that the quality services of midwives have not met the maximum standards. Aim: To improve the quality service of midwives stationed at public health center through psychoeducation on HIV and AIDS based on Safer practices-Available Medication-VCT-Empowerment (SAVE) approach, referred to "BIDAN Cerdas dan Empatik (CANTIK)" program (Smart and Emphatic Midwives program). Materials and methods: Action research with quasi experiment method using non-random untreated control group design with dependent pretest and posttest samples. The participants were 24 midwives working at public health center. The research instruments used were HIV knowledge test, negative attitude towards HIV scale, emphatic and caring consultation (ECC) observation sheet, and HIV socialization. Quantitative analysis was conducted through mixed design ANOVA and qualitative analysis was conducted in the form of narrative description. Results and conclusion: BIDAN CANTIK psychoeducation program might improve the quality service of midwives at public health center. It was due to the improvement of knowledge on HIV. However, BIDAN CANTIK psychoeducation program did not significantly decrease negative attitude towards HIV and improve ECC. BIDAN CANTIK psychoeducation program was not succeeded in encouraging midwives to socialize HIV and AIDS to the patients of Health of Mother and Children Polyclinic. One of the obstacles in reducing negative attitude of midwives and in encouraging them to socialize HIV and AIDS was socio-cultural factor.