title: Investigating factors associated with uptake of HIV voluntary counselling and testing among pregnant women living in North Uganda.
abstract: We investigated factors potentially associated with the uptake of HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), which is the first step in acceding to programmes for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection. For the period 2001-2003, we estimated the VCT uptake among the 12,252 first-time attendees of the Antenatal Clinic (ANC) at Lacor Hospital (Gulu District, North Uganda). Associations between VCT uptake and socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive history were evaluated using log binomial regression models. VCT uptake was 55.6% for the overall study period; it increased from 51.0% in 2001 to 58.6% in 2002 and 57.7% in 2003 (P <0.001). Having some education [primary versus none, adjusted prevalence proportion ratio (PPR) =1.05, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.00-1.10] and being unmarried (cohabitating, PPR =1.07, 95% CI: 1.03-1.10; single/widowed/divorced, PPR =1.10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.18) were significantly associated with VCT uptake. Associations of borderline significance were found for: recent change of residence, having a partner with a modern occupation, and past use of contraceptives. VCT uptake is still low in this district of North Uganda. Although some socio-demographic factors were found to have been associated with uptake, the associations were weak and not of public-health significance.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. massimo.fabiani@iss.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cawthorne
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nattabi
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Ayella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogwang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Declich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology