Uptake of HIV testing and counseling among tertiary institution students in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana

Authors

  • Evans Agamlor Department of Population and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public, Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho
  • Lilian Pencille HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Network Cameroon, Kumba
  • Prosper Lutala School of Public Health & Family Medicine College of Medicine University of Malawi
  • Derick Akompab Akoku Community Research and Training Institute, Yaounde
  • Elvis Tarkang Department of Population and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public, Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana; HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Network Cameroon, Kumba

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2019.1044

Keywords:

HTC uptake, knowledge, students, tertiary institutions, Hohoe, Ghana

Abstract

HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) is a critical strategy to reduce the rate of new HIV infections and the key entry point to HIV treatment, care and support services. This study aimed to determine the uptake of HTC among students of tertiary institutions in the Hohoe Municipality of Ghana. This was a quantitative cross-sectional study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data among a proportionate stratified sample of students from tertiary institutions. Chi-square and Logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata version 12.0 at the 0.05 level of significance. Only 30.6% of the total respondents had ever tested for HIV/AIDS of which, only 22.9% tested less than 6 months before the current study. Students above twenty-four years of age were 3 times more likely to go for HTC than those below 20 years [OR=2.56 (95% CI: 1.07-6.11; p=0.034)]; those in the fourth year of study were 3 times more likely get HTC than those in the first year [OR=3.05 (95%CI: 1.10-8.49; p=0.033)]; and those attending THERESCO, the Midwifery training college and UHAS were more than 2 times more likely to get tested for HIV than those attending FRANCO [OR =2.67 (95% CI: 1.14-6.15; p=0.024)], [OR=2.40 (95% CI: 1.04-5.54; p=0.040)] and [OR=2.63 (95% CI: 1.13-6.13; p=0.026)] respectively. The uptake of HTC among tertiary institution students in Hohoe municipality was considerably low. Policymakers should design programs and interventions that would increase uptake of HTC among tertiary students, with focus on those aged less than 20 years, those at the lower level of study and those in the non-health related institutions.

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Author Biography

Elvis Tarkang, Department of Population and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public, Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana; HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Network Cameroon, Kumba

Lecturer, School of public health UHAS, Ghana

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Published

19-03-2020

How to Cite

Agamlor, E., Pencille, L., Lutala, P., Akoku, D. A., & Tarkang, E. (2020). Uptake of HIV testing and counseling among tertiary institution students in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana. Journal of Public Health in Africa, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jphia.2019.1044

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Original Articles