Apanga Paschal A, Akparibo Robert, Awoonor-Williams John K
Talensi District Hospital, Ghana Health Service, PMB, Tongo, Upper East Region, Ghana.
School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
J Health Popul Nutr. 2015 Nov 21;33:23. doi: 10.1186/s41043-015-0035-8.
Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is one of the nine strategies recommended for prevention and control of HIV globally. In this study, we assessed the awareness and utilisation of VCT services among residents of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality (LMKM) in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
A population-based descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 200 participants, aged between 18 and 55 years. Participants were recruited using cluster and simple random techniques to take part in the survey. Data was analysed descriptively, as well as using regression analysis approach.
Ninety-one percent of the respondents surveyed were aware of VCT services for HIV/AIDS. Seventy percent (70 %) have used VCT service in the last 12 months prior to the survey. Of this proportion, 97% were satisfied with the quality of VCT services offered and indicated their willingness to recommend the service to others. Participants desire to know their HIV status (40%), referral by health workers (25%), and participants who wanted to get married (11%) were the main reasons for increased uptake. Participants who had formal education, primary (OR = 1.8 (95% CI 1.25-2.84)), junior high school (OR = 2.3 (95% CI 1.54-3.37)), senior high school (OR = 2.8 (95% CI 1.73-4.78)), and tertiary (OR = 3.4 (95% CI 1.98-8.42)), had increased chance of using VCT service compared with participants who had no education (p < 0.001). Reasons for non-utilisation of VCT service were lack of awareness of the VCT service in the area (32%), fear of being stigmatised (53 %), and the belief that HIV/AIDS cannot be cured and therefore the lack of need (5%).
Although awareness and utilisation of VCT service rates were reportedly high, more efforts need to be done in order to increase awareness and promote utilisation. HIV/AIDS educational campaign programmes need to be strongly pursued, with emphasis on the benefits of VCT services. This has the potential of reducing stigma and increase utilisation.
自愿咨询检测（VCT）是全球推荐的用于预防和控制艾滋病毒的九项策略之一。在本研究中，我们评估了加纳东部下曼亚克罗博市（LMKM）居民对VCT服务的知晓情况和利用情况。
对200名年龄在18至55岁之间的参与者进行了一项基于人群的描述性横断面调查。采用整群抽样和简单随机抽样技术招募参与者参与调查。对数据进行描述性分析，并采用回归分析方法。
接受调查的受访者中有91%知晓艾滋病毒/艾滋病的VCT服务。70%的人在调查前的过去12个月内使用过VCT服务。在这一比例中，97%对所提供的VCT服务质量感到满意，并表示愿意向他人推荐该服务。参与者希望了解自己的艾滋病毒状况（40%）、医护人员的转诊（25%）以及想要结婚的参与者（11%）是使用率增加的主要原因。接受过小学（OR = 1.8（95%CI 1.25 - 2.84））、初中（OR = 2.3（95%CI 1.54 - 3.37））、高中（OR = 2.8（95%CI 1.73 - 4.78））和大专教育（OR = 3.4（95%CI 1.98 - 8.42））的参与者与未接受教育的参与者相比，使用VCT服务的机会增加（p < 0.001）。未使用VCT服务的原因包括该地区对VCT服务缺乏了解（32%）、害怕被污名化（53%）以及认为艾滋病毒/艾滋病无法治愈因此无需检测（5%）。
尽管据报道VCT服务的知晓率和使用率很高，但仍需做出更多努力以提高知晓率并促进利用。需要大力开展艾滋病毒/艾滋病教育宣传活动，重点强调VCT服务的益处。这有可能减少污名化并提高利用率。
