Acceptability of Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) in Assosa Town, Western Ethiopia
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Date
2002-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A cross sectional survey was conducted in Assosa town of the Benshangul Gumze
National Regional State on March 2002, to identifying factors that affect the
acceptability of VCT services in Assosa town of the Benshangul Gumze National
Regional State. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were utilized
to gather the required information. The collected data was analysed using bi variate
and mUltivariate techniques and results were presented using tables and in the form
of rates and proportions. The observed association between dependant variables and
covariates was presented in the form of Chi-square and Odds ratio. Results of the
Focus Group Discussions and in depth interviews were presented as excerpt and in
the form of case studies
Six hundred ninety two respondents between the age of 15 and 49 years selected
with using multistage sampling procedure were included in the study. The male
female ratio of the study subjects was almost 1: 1 with the mean age of 25.6 and
standard deviation of:!: 8.53 years.
More than 86 percent of the respondents are aware of HIV/AIDS and about 85
percent of them know whether one can check his/her HIV status through a blood test
and three fourth stated that the service is available in Assosa town. Nearly eighty
seven percent expressed willingness to use VCT service; and about equal proportion
(86.1 %) show intention to ask their partners for VCT, however, a lesser proportion
(75%) expressed their readiness to declare the HIV test result. The bivariate analysis
result showed a significant association between respondents that belief that People
Living with HIV/AIDS need better care and support among those who intend to use
VeT and with risk perception for HIV for those who expressed their readiness to
declare the test result. The results of the multivariate analysis showed that sex
employment status and respondents belief that People Living with HIV/AIDS need
better care are significant predicators for the respondents readiness to request their
partners for VeT. The VCT centre of Assosa hospital is found to be not functional on
fu ll time bases and getting the HIV test result can take up to two weeks time.
Furthermore mechanisms are not in place that ensure People Living With HIV/AIDS
could be provided with a continuous care and support from the concerned.
Intensive Information Education and Communication activities on VeT aimed at
reducing stigmatising effects of AIDS and HIV positive result in Assosa town ,
strengthening the VeT centre of the Assosa hospital so as to enable it functional at
full capacity and establishing other free standing VCT centres are the major
recommendations of the study.
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Keywords
Voluntary Counseling