Community influences on married men's uptake of HIV testing in eight African countries.
Despite efforts to increase HIV testing in the African region, the proportion of men who report ever having been tested for HIV remains low. Research has focused on individual level determinants of women's testing however little is known about factors associated with men's testing behavior. This analysis investigates community influences on HIV testing among men ages 15-54, using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from Chad, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Multilevel models were fitted in each country for the outcome of ever receiving an HIV test. After controlling for individual and household level factors, community level factors of demographics, economics, and behavior and knowledge remain significantly associated with HIV testing among men. The results of this analysis highlight the need to recognize the impact of community influences on men's HIV test seeking behavior, and to harness these community factors in the design of programs aimed at encouraging the uptake of HIV testing among men in Africa.
Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, #7025, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. rbsteph@sph.emory.edu
Rob
R
Stephenson
K
K
Miriam Elfstrom
Amy
A
Winter
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003906:Developing Countries; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012932:Social Facilitation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult