title: Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of clients presenting for HIV voluntary counselling and testing in Moshi, Tanzania.
abstract: HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) reduces high-risk sexual behaviour. Factors associated with HIV infection in VCT clients have not been well characterized in northern Tanzania. We prospectively surveyed 813 VCT clients in Moshi, Tanzania. Clients were administered a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behaviour, and health status. Blood was taken for rapid HIV antibody testing. Factors associated with HIV seropositivity were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Of 813 clients, the seroprevalence was 16.7%. The strongest associations with seropositivity were reporting diarrhoea (odds ratio [OR] 10.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.6-29.9), an ill sexual partner (OR 6.3, 95% CI 3.0-12.9), or being a woman (OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.0-6.3). In a separate regression, the number of symptoms also predicted HIV infection (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.6-2.6). VCT clients who tested positive had more HIV-related symptoms suggesting presentation at a later stage of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Box 3152, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Crump
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ostermann
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Oenga
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Itemba
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mgonja
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mtweve
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Thielman
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology