title: Perception of HIV Testing and Counseling among Integrated Counseling and Testing Center Clients of Tertiary Level Hospitals.
abstract: The purpose of establishing integrated counseling and testing center (ICTC) is to detect HIV at the earliest time, providing information on modes of transmission and prevention of HIV by promoting behavioral change and reducing vulnerability, and informing individuals on HIV prevention, care, and treatment services.
  
  
  
  To know the awareness of the clients about ICTC before pretest counseling.
  
  
  
  This facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 105 pretest counseling clients who visited ICTC for the first time in 3 ICTCs of tertiary care hospitals attached to a medical college in Mangalore.
  
  
  
  Majority of the clients were pregnant women (n = 57, 54.30%), and most of the clients were referred by the treating doctor (n = 91, 86.7%). Most of the clients, being unaware of ICTC, are not aware of its functions and activities.
  
  
  
  Although ICTCs have been functional for nearly a decade, the awareness of ICTC and its functions among the people is poor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India 13rameshholla@gmail.com ramesh.holla@manipal.edu.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holla
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Swathi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maroli
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Dulakshi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wettasinghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Bhaskaran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Unnikrishnan
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Shiwani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Rijuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Santosh Bhat
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Rekha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thapar
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Prasanna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mithra
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Nithin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vaman
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Darshan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bhagawana
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV; ICTC; clients; perception