Predictors of HIV Testing among Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

IntroductionIn spite of a high prevalence of HIV infection among adolescents and young adults in sub-Saharan Africa, uptake of HIV testing and counseling among youth in the region remains sub-optimal. The objective of this study was to assess factors that influence uptake of HIV testing and counseling among youth aged 15–24 years in sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsThis study used the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from countries that represent four geographic regions of sub-Saharan Africa: Congo (Brazzaville), representing central Africa (DHS 2011–2012); Mozambique, representing southern Africa (DHS 2011); Nigeria, representing western Africa (DHS 2013); and Uganda, representing eastern Africa (DHS 2011). Analyses were restricted to 23,367 male and female respondents aged 15–24 years with complete data on the variables of interest. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were used to assess predictors of HIV testing. Statistical significance was set at p< 0.01.ResultsThe analysis revealed that a majority of the respondents were female (78.1%) and aged 20-24-years (60.7%). Only a limited proportion of respondents (36.5%) had ever tested for HIV and even fewer (25.7%) demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. There was a significant association between HIV testing and respondents’ gender, age, age at sexual debut, and comprehensive knowledge of HIV in the pooled sample. Older youth (adjusted OR (aOR) = 2.19; 99% CI = 1.99–2.40) and those with comprehensive knowledge of HIV (aOR = 1.98; 1.76–2.22) had significantly higher odds of ever being tested for HIV than younger respondents and those with limited HIV/AIDS knowledge respectively. Furthermore, men had lower odds of HIV testing than women (aOR = 0.32; 0.28–0.37).ConclusionsReaching youth in sub-Saharan Africa for HIV testing continues to be a challenge. Public health programs that seek to increase HIV counseling and testing among youth should pay particular attention to efforts that target high-risk subpopulations of youth. The results further suggest that these initiatives would be strengthened by including strategies to increase HIV comprehensive knowledge.

Integration of HIV Testing into Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Weeks for Improved Case Finding and Linkage to Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Services in Benue State, Nigeria

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Parental and child-level predictors of HIV testing uptake, seropositivity and treatment initiation among children and adolescents in Cameroon

“…Though this difference was not statistically significant after controlling for confounders (aOR = 1.9 (0.9-4.0) p = 0.195), it opposed the findings of studies conducted before 1999 in low-and middleincome countries (including Cameroon), showing lower uptake of HIV services among the most educated populations [24]. Rather, this finding is consistent with studies conducted after 1999 showing a positive association between educational attainment and the uptake of HIV services in Sub-Saharan Africa [25][26][27].…”

HIV screening in men and women in Senegal: coverage and associated factors analysis of the 2017 demographic and health survey

“…The same observation had been made by other studies. Adolescents are less likely to use HIV testing services (8,14,(20)(21)(22)(23). Several explanations can be advanced.…”