| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT
Introduction: Despite the significant progress made in the fight against HIV and AIDS, the magnitude of the epidemic remains high in Uganda. The country has 5.6% HIV burden among individuals aged (15-49 years) who are youth and sexually active with higher prevalence among females (6.9%) as compared to males (5.3%). However, access to HIV counseling and testing services has remained limited in Uganda where most of Ugandans don’t know their HIV status as of yet and factors hindering HIV testing are still not yet well known. This study therefore, assessed HIV testing practices and identified associated factors to HIV testing among university students.
Methods: Quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted where 301 participants who were Makerere University students were recruited and responded to a questionnaire where the data collected was entered into SPSS version 23 for analysis.
Results: HIV testing practices were at 77.1% among the respondents, where most of the respondents 81 (26.9%) had tested for HIV 2-6 months back before the study and 47 (15.6%) reporting to have tested 7-12 months previously before the study and 94.4% were testing HIV using finger prick/blood test while 4.3% used oral testing kit (OraQuick). The major portion of students were tested by the qualified health care workers 84.9% and mainly obtained the services from private facilities 47.0%. And the largest number of the respondents 55% reported only to test for HIV when need arises. The respondents gave fear of receiving positive results, trauma due to being diagnosed for HIV positive, abstinence and believing to use safer sexual practices as the reasons for not testing for HIV. The HIV testing acceptability among those who had never tested was 59.7%.
History of STI (aOR: 18.0, 95%CI:0.406 - 8.080, P value 0.035), having information about HIV testing (aOR: 6.9, 95%CI:2.794 - 16.863, P value 0.0001), Age below 20 years (aOR: 0.1 95%CI: 0.004 - 0.722, P-value 0.001) were the factors found to be associated with HIV testing practises. Students in year 4 of study (adjusted Odds ratio(aOR)=5.3, P=0.283) were 5.3 times to test for HIV compared to students of year 3 of study, year 2 of study. Being married (aOR=1.4, P value 0.776) was 1.4 times to test for HIV compared to those who were single and cohabiting.
Conclusion: HIV testing practices were at 77.1% among the respondents, who were testing HIV using finger prick/blood test and oral testing kit (OraQuick). They were being tested by the qualified health care workers and mainly obtained the services from private facilities. And the largest number of the respondents only tested for HIV when need arises. The respondents gave fear of receiving positive results, trauma due to being diagnosed for HIV positive, abstinence and believing to use safer sexual practices as the reasons for not testing for HIV. The HIV testing acceptability among those who had never tested was 59.7%. History of STI, having information about HIV testing and Age below 20 years were the factors found to be associated with HIV testing practises. The university administration also should set up a mandatory HIV testing for all students who wish to join the university this will buffer up the willingness of the students to take HIV testing there by promoting periodic screening. The University hospital operating HIV counselling and testing must go beyond the wait for students to have Voluntary counselling and testing and take the screening exercises to the students through various innovative campaigns in their halls of residences, hostels or at their colleges. | en_US |
