title: Who gets tested for HIV in a South African urban township? Implications for test and treat and gender-based prevention interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With increasing calls for linking HIV-infected individuals to treatment and care via expanded testing, we examined sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics associated with HIV testing among men and women in Soweto, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional household survey involving 1539 men and 1877 women as part of the community-randomized prevention trial Project ACCEPT/HPTN043 between July 2007 to October 2007. Multivariable logistic regression models, stratified by sex, assessed factors associated with HIV testing and then repeated testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most women (64.8%) and 28.9% of men reported ever having been tested for HIV, among whom 57.9% reported repeated HIV testing. In multivariable analyses, youth and students had a lower odds of HIV testing. Men and women who had conversations about HIV/AIDS with increasing frequency and who had heard about antiretroviral therapy were more likely to report HIV testing, and repeated testing. Men who had ≥ 12 years of education and who were of high socioeconomic status, and women who were married, who were of low socioeconomic status, and who had children under their care had a higher odds of HIV testing. Women, older individuals, those with higher levels of education, married individuals, and those with children under their care had a higher odds of reporting repeated HIV testing. Uptake of HIV testing was not associated with condom use, having multiple sex partners, and HIV-related stigma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the low uptake of HIV testing among men and youth, further targeted interventions could facilitate a test and treat strategy among urban South Africans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Kartik K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Venkatesh
authors.forename: Precious
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Madiba
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Bruyn
authors.forename: Mark N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Lurie
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Coates
authors.forename: Glenda E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult