Abstract
Background : - Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services have become one of the most common means of preventing, detecting and improving access to care and support to HIV/AIDS. Currently in Ethiopia, young people are most affected group of HIV/AIDS. Moreover, youth VCT utilization is low in studies among university students. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess youth’s voluntary counseling and testing utilization and associated factors in Mizan-Aman Town, Southwest Ethiopia. Community based cross sectional study was conducted among youth living in Mizan-Aman Twon. The data was collected using pre-tested interviewer administrating questionnaires using simple random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, multivariate logistic regressions ware used accordingly. A total of 389 youths responded the questionnaire making the response rate of 96.6%. Two hundred thirty five (60.4%) were female. VCT utilization was 42.4% (95% CI=37.8%, 47.6%). Factor associated with intension to VCT service utilization are females [AOR=1.69, 95%CI= (1.017-2.814)]; attending secondary education level (AOR=2.099, 95%CI=(1.12-3.929)) and attending college education level (AOR=3.39, 95%CI=(1.783-6.45)); And having low perceived barrier and cue to action are [AOR=2.63,95%CI (1.236-5.614) and [AOR=10.85, 95 % CI=(6.05-19.46)] respectively. Being female, educated, high perceived barrier and cue to action were identified as significant associated factors for intension to utilize voluntary counseling and testing. More emphases should be given by concerned bodies in Mizan-Aman town health unit, Mizan Aman Health Science College on information translation regarding VCT, focus on male youth, collaborating with educational sectors, and assuring youth to benefit more on VCT services. Keywords: Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), Mizan-Aman, Youth. DOI: 10.7176/JMPB/66-03 Publication date: June 30th 2020
Highlights
Until the start of HIV/AIDS epidemic to still, it continues to be internationally a public health concern
The sample size was calculated by Epi-info software by single population proportion formula by taking prevalence for Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) utilization 64.3% from a study conducted in Birbir town, Gamo Gofa zone, Ethiopia(Gebremeskel, 2017)
Study done among in Bahirdar, Ethiopia is in line with our result which showed that 37.8 % of study participants were tested and in Nakuru, Kenya revealed that only 37.4% of out of school youth are utilized VCT
Summary
Until the start of HIV/AIDS epidemic to still, it continues to be internationally a public health concern. A total of 77.3 million people have become infected, 45% of them have died of opportunistic infections. Within one year (2017) around 37 million were living with HIV/AIDS. Among these one fourth of them don’t recognize that they are infected and deaths associated with AIDS related illnesses still existed. Ethiopia is among one of 17 African countries which accounts highest numbers of new HIV infections(Musheke et al, 2013). Children and youth have different understanding of HIV/AIDS issues and different vulnerability to HIV infection. People in range of 15 - 24 years account more than half of cases globally(Baggaley, 2002; FMOH, 2007; WHO, 2015)
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