title: Exploring the linkage between exposure to mass media and HIV testing among married women and men in Ghana.
abstract: Although HIV testing is critical to the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, utilization rate of HIV testing services among married women and men remains low in Ghana. Mass media, as a tool to increase overall HIV testing turnouts, has been considered one of the important strategies in promoting and enhancing behavioural changes related to HIV/AIDS prevention. Using the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, the current study examines the relationship between levels of exposure to print media, radio, and television and the uptake of HIV testing among married women and men in Ghana. Results show that HIV testing is more prevalent among married women than their male counterparts. We also find that higher levels of exposure to radio is associated with HIV testing among women, while higher levels of exposure to print media and television are associated with HIV testing among men. Implications of these findings are discussed for Ghana's HIV/AIDS strategic framework, which aims to expanding efforts at dealing with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Specifically, it is important for health educators and programme planners to deliver HIV-related messages through television, radio, and print media to increase the uptake of HIV testing particularly among married women and men in Ghana.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sociology , University of Western Ontario , Room 5306, Social Science Centre, London , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Yujiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.affiliation: b Department of Gender Studies , Memorial University of Newfoundland , Science Building 4082, St. John's , NL , Canada.
authors.forename: Alice P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sedziafa
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sociology , University of Western Ontario , Room 5306, Social Science Centre, London , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Amoyaw
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sociology , University of Western Ontario , Room 5306, Social Science Centre, London , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Godfred O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Boateng
authors.affiliation: c Department of Geography , University of Western Ontario , Room 1424, Social Science Centre, London , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Vincent Z
authors.initials: VZ
authors.lastname: Kuuire
authors.affiliation: d Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Health Sciences Addition , University of Western Ontario , London , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boamah
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sociology , University of Western Ontario , Room 5306, Social Science Centre, London , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Eugena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008402:Mass Media; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Ghana; HIV testing; demographic and health survey; married women and men; media exposure