Determinants of HIV/AIDS testing among women in Northern Uganda

Abstract

Thereafter, the study analyzed data from the Uganda Aids Indicator Surveys data set (UBOS & ICF INC, 2012). The research analyzed the influence of the different independent factors among women in reproductive age groups (15-49) years within the region on their testing status. The analysis involved a descriptive analysis of the characteristics of women to determine the effect of background characteristics and HIV/AIDS testing. The findings from the study suggest that majority of the respondents were aged 15-19 (20.7%) and the least percentage was aged 44-49 (5.7%), had at least primary education (65.4%). Majority was of catholic faith (55.7%), the married women were 65.4% than others, majority of them were poor (66.0%). The rural residents constituted the highest proportion (84.4%). Further analysis showed that there was a highly significant relationship between age of the mother, residence, education level, marital status, with (p-value 0.000) and wealth status (p-value 0.005) the rest of the factors were not significant. Based on the study findings, HIV testing is very important more so to pregnant mothers and those women in their reproductive age. Therefore, the researcher recommends that Free and friendly home-based HIV Testing and counseling services should be increased, this will help to increase the uptake of HTC services among the general population, but also to substantially reduce the socioeconomic gradient in HTC utilization observed in the Northern region of Uganda should be availed to the citizens, the poor, the marginalized and the disabled