Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Factors Affecting Voluntary Counseling and Testing VCT among Ambo Secondary School Students, West Shoa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Teka Girma, Diriba Tolera and Fenet Melaku

Background: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic infection disease which is by human immune suppressive virus. HIV slowly attacks the immune system, the body’s defense against infection, leaving an individual vulnerable to variety of other in infections and certain malignancies which eventually causes death. There are various options in reducing of this pandemic such as voluntary counseling and testing, anti-retroviral therapy and education for behavioral change. The objective was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice HIV voluntary counseling and testing among Ambo secondary school students. Methods: Across sectional quantitative study to be from December 2015 to January 2016 in Ambo secondary school. The data was entered, coded and analyzed using SPSS 20. The results are presented using numbers, percentages, tables and charts. Results: From the total respondents 43.4% were male and 56.6 were females and 62.3% were grade 9 and 37.7 were grade 10. Majority of the respondent’s age were ranged from 15-19 years that was 95.08%. Almost all, ninety eight (98%) were Oromo in ethnicity, 59.84% were protestant in religion. Majority of respondents to knew the mode of transmission and protection. Out of total respondents 48.36% were undergone VCT and 69.7% were willingness to undergo VCT. When compared with a study conducted in Addis Ababa showed 55% study subject had HIV test, 63% to wish to have HIV testing and 45% who did not have HIV test. Majority of respondents were choice hospital 50 (40.87%) and health center 50 (40.98%) on place of VCT. Conclusion: The needs of adolescents were important to provide youth-friendly services and practice of the study subjects about HIV/AIDS and VCT.