Factors influencing acceptability of voluntary counselling and testing for HIV in Bushenyi district of Uganda.
OBJECTIVE
To understand the factors influencing choice of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV with a view of suggesting measures for increased uptake.


METHODS
Focus group discussions were used to elicit reasons for carrying out VCT and a cross sectional survey to estimate the proportion of people who undertake VCT.


METHODS
Bushenyi district, Uganda.


METHODS
A cluster random sample of 219 people and four purposively selected focus group discussions with 32 participants.


METHODS
Elicited attitudinal beliefs, self-efficacy expectations, and social influences that are probably associated with VCT for HIV based on the Attitude Social influence self-Efficacy (ASE) Model. The proportion of people who had ever undertaken VCT for HIV was also determined.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight (17%) of the 219 people interviewed had ever undergone HIV. The factors influencing VCT for HIV were consequences of a test result, influences from a sexual partner, cost of VCT, physical accessibility of VCT, awareness, risk of HIV infection, need for linking VCT with care (especially availability of anti-retrovirals) and perceived quality of care of VCT services.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased mobilisation and access for VCT, reducing costs of VCT, linking of VCT with care, and emphasising the positive consequences of VCT as well as providing high quality VCT services may increase the number of people seeking VCT.
Nuwaha
F
F
Directorate of Health Services, Bushenyi District, P.O. Box 1, Bushenyi-Uganda.
Kabatesi
D
D
Muganwa
M
M
Whalen
C C
CC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology