The factors influencing uptake of Provider Initiated Testing and counselling of HIV in a rural primary health care centre in the Eastern Cape.
Keywords:
Opt-out HIV testing, pregnant women, stigma, VCTAbstract
Background: Access to HIV care begins with the process of undergoing HIV testing. Factors that affect the knowledge, attitude and practices of antenatal attendees towards routine HIV testing could affect its uptake.
Objectives: This study was to determine the factors influencing uptake of routine HIV testing amongst antenatal attendees at Baziya Health Centre, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Materials & Methods: This was a descriptive study where 96 respondents were interviewed from November 2010 to January 2011. Participants were selected consecutively. A pre-tested, pre-coded, closed interview schedule was used. There were 96 participants in the study.
Results: The mean age of the subjects was 23.8 years ± 15, median of 22 years and a mode of 18 years.The range was 16 - 38 years. The following variables respectively were found as facilitating factors to routine HIV testing patterns: increase in education attainment (AOR 22.7 (1.4-100), p=0.039), influence of group counselling (AOR21 (6-91.5), p=0.005), health worker involvement (AOR 11.9 (271.4), p=0.046). Stigma was found to be a constraining factor to routine HIV testing (AOR27.7 (5-150.3), p=0.0001).
Conclusion: The uptake of routine HIV testing amongst pregnant women in Baziya was facilitated by the level of educational attainment, group counselling, and health care workers involvement. Stigma was found to prevent uptake of routine HIV testing. The intervention strategies to maximise routine HIV testing acceptance should focus on education level, group counselling, psychological status and social support. Measures should be implemented to protect against HIV associated stigma.
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