Assessment of Practices and Factors Affecting Hiv Voluntary Counselling and Testing for Couples Among Married People in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality

Table of Contents

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ ii SUPERVISOR’S APPROVAL ..................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iv DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................ v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT ................................................................................................... 2 1.3 OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.1 General objective ............................................................................................................ 3 1.3.2 Specific Objectives ......................................................................................................... 3 1.4 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 5 2.1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Magnitude and Significance of CVCT .................................................................................. 6 2.3. Factors that Affect CVCT Utilization .................................................................................. 8 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 12 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 12 3.2 STUDY AREA .................................................................................................................... 12 3.3 STUDY POPULATION ..................................................................................................... 12 3.4 SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION.................................................................................. 12 3.5 DATA COLLECTION METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS ............................................. 13 3.6 DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION ..................................................................... 13 3.7 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................................................ 13 3.8 INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA ................................................................... 14 CHAPTER FOUR: STUDY FINDINGS ..................................................................................... 15 FIGURE 1: GENDER OF RESPONDENTS ............................................................................ 15 FIGURE 2: AGE BY GENDER OF RESPONDENTS ............................................................ 15 FIGURE 3: EDUCATION LEVEL ATAINED BY RESPONDENTS .................................... 16

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FIGURE 4: RELIGION OF RESPONDENTS ......................................................................... 17 FIGURE 5: RESPONDENTS WHO HAD HEARD OF CVCT .............................................. 17 FIGURE 6: RESPONDENTS’ SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT CVCT ................... 18 FIGURE 7: PERCEIVED IMPORTANCE OF CVCT............................................................. 18 FIGURE 8: STATUS OF HAVING EVER HAD AN HIV TEST ........................................... 19 FIGURE 9: EVER TESTED WITH PARTNER ...................................................................... 19 FIGURE 10: REASON FOR DECISION TO TAKE CVCT ................................................... 20 FIGURE 12: REASON FOR NOT TAKING CVCT ............................................................... 20 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION ................................................................................................. 21 5.1 CVCT service utilization in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality ............................................... 21 5.2 Factors associated with CVCT service utilization .............................................................. 21 5.2.1 Knowledge about CVCT .............................................................................................. 21 5.2.2 Reason for decision to take CVCT ............................................................................... 22 5.2.3 Perceived importance of CVCT ................................................................................... 22 5.3 Relationship between education level, marital status and age with CVCT ........................ 22 5.4 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 22 5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................... 23 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 24 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 28 Appendix i: Informed consent ................................................................................................... 28 Appendix ii: Questionnaire ....................................................................................................... 29 Appendix iii: Proposed budget .................................................................................................. 32

ABSTRACT

Background: Couples Voluntary Counseling and Testing (CVCT) is an effective HIV prevention strategy for couples who represent the largest risk group in Africa. Of the estimated 100 infections per day in many African countries 70% occurs in cohabiting couples. In Uganda, there are only few couple based VCT studies conducted. Narrowing the gap of knowledge in these matters will help as a baseline for other studies. Furthermore it helps in forming strategies and specific interventions to deal with drawback of CVCT program. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of couples coming to VCT centers and to assess the factors associated with use and nonuse of CVCT services in BushenyiIshaka Municipality Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in which data was collected using standard interview questions.  To explain the study population in relation to relevant variables, frequencies and summary statistics were used.  Result: CVCT utilization among couples in Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality is 7.5%  Conclusion and Recommendations: The prevalence of couples VCT service utilization in Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality is low. Frequent, clear and accurate mediabased information programs using multiple languages are needed to increase access to information on VCT, with particular attention to the importance of VCT for couples. And other Specific approaches to promote CVCT service are needed to be developed service through appropriate researches