Determinants of HIV-VCT Acceptance in Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia: a Case Control Study
Creators: name: Yibrie, Anwar
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2006

description: Background: HIV/AIDS has become the most devastating global epidemic the world has ever faced. Early knowledge of HIV infection is now recognized as a critical component in controlling the spread of HIV infection and, for people with HIV infection, as an entry point for treatment, care and support. Objective: To identify the determinants of HIV-VCT acceptance in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: The study design was case-control, where the cases are those who accepted VCT and the controls are those who did not accept VCT. A total of 115 cases and 230 controls from Gondar town were included in the study. The data was summarized and organized using tables and texts. Associations between different exploratory variables and outcome variable (VCT acceptance) was made using odds ratio with confidence intervals. Multiple logistic regressions were used to show the impact of different determinants for VCT acceptance by controlling different confounders at the same time. P-value less than 5% was considered significant. Results: VCT acceptance was about seven times (OR = 6.91, 95% CI 1.21, 39.52) more likely to occur among unmarried than those who were divorced, separated and/or windowed. VCT acceptance was less likely (OR = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01, 0.15) to occur among students than those who were employed. VCT acceptance was about 4.75 times (OR = 4.75, 95% CI 1.05, 21.45) more likely to occur among those ever had sex than their counterparts. Those who had self-perceived risk and had knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention methods were about 6 times (OR = 6.08, 95% CI 1.89, 19.54) and 21.12 times (OR = 21.12, 95% CI 6.38, 69.95) more likely to accept VCT than their counterparts respectively. VCT acceptance were less likely (OR = 0.03, 95% CI 0.01, 0.14) and (OR = 0.03, 95% CI 0.00, 0.42) to occur among those know that a healthy-looking person can have the virus and those had knowledge of STIs respectively than their counterparts. vi As to the problems related with VCT, those didn't know friends response was about 19 times (OR = 19.08, 95% CI 4.73, 77.00) more likely to occur among VCT acceptors than their counterparts, while didn't trust confidentiality of VCT services was less likely (OR = 0.19, 95% CI 0.06, 0.62) to occur among VCT acceptors than non-acceptors. VCT acceptance was less likely (OR = 0.06, 95% CI 0.02, 0.25) to occur among those said no change in relation to HIV positive partner than those said gradually separated. Conclusions and recommendations: Those unmarried, had initiated sex, self-perceived risk, knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention methods and don't know friend's response are more likely to accept VCT. Being a student, those know that a healthy-looking person can have the virus and those had knowledge of STIs are less likely to accept VCT. Those had problems of don't trust confidentiality of VCT service and those have intention of no change in relationship to HIV positive partner are less likely to accept VCT. Efforts to promote VCT require education about the benefits of testing to students and women in particular and all groups of individuals in general and organizing VCT service to make more acceptable to different groups of people is recommended. Key words: VCT-acceptance, Determinants of VCT, Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia.