Assessment of factors affecting voluntary counseling and testing service utilization among preparatory school students in Gondar town, Amhara region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background Globally the adolescent and youths are facing different sexual and reproductive health problems like unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, STI including HIV.HIV / AIDS is continue to be a major global health priority. HIV counseling and testing is a key strategic entry point to prevention, treatment, care and support services .HIV/AIDS counseling is “confidential communication between client and a care provider aimed at enabling the client to cope with stress and to take personal decisions relating to HIV/AIDS.VCT give clients an opportunity to explore their HIV risks and to learn their HIV test results in complete confidence.Objective The objective of the study was to asses factors affecting voluntary counseling and testing service utilization among preparatory school students in Gondar town.Methods Institutional based cross-sectional study design was employed. A multistage sampling procedure was conducted in the study area. Data were collected using pretested self-administered questionnaire and the data entered, clean and analyzed by using SPSS version 16 software. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis were employed. Multivariate analysis with 95% CI was computed to identify factors associated with voluntary counseling and testing service utilization at P-value <0.05.Results A total of 654 study participants were included in the study with the response rate of 97%. The study indicated that 81.7% of study participants knew about voluntary counseling and testing services utilization .But the practice of voluntary counseling and testing was 48.3% with (95% CI: 44.5 -52.1).Based on the finding of multivariate analysis among independent variables, age, place of birth, mother’s educational level and discussed with parents on the issue of VCT were significantly associated with voluntary counseling and testing services utilization.Conclusion Majority of the study participants were not utilize voluntary counseling and testing services, only few respondents ever had VCT test as well as the proportion of students who had discussed on VCT issues with their parent was also very low. Cultural taboos was the main obstacle to students did not discuss with parents on the issue of VCT in the study area. Therefore; it needs great effort all concerned body to improve their services utilization. In broadly family life education should be encourage for the students and parents to promote VCT utilization.

Utilization of Voluntary Counseling and Testing Experience among Mizan-Tepi University Students in Southwestern Ethiopia

“…The experience for voluntary counseling and testing was higher for students who were from primary and above educated mothers and fathers compared to students from uneducated mothers and fathers. This finding is consistent with the study done in the Gondar town [ 40 ]. The possible explanation maybe that mothers and fathers who were educated at a level of primary and above increased awareness about voluntary counseling and testing advantages in their children.…”