Research Article
Dinka Fikadu, Tariku Dejene, S
Abstract
Back ground: Currently in health facility, provider-initiated human immunodeficiency virus testing is the key entry point to prevention, care, treatment and support services but most people remains unaware of their HIV status due to various reasons. In many high-prevalence countries, fewer than one in ten people with HIV are aware of their HIV status.HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, "has become one of the world’s most serious health and development challenges. Reaching individuals with HIV who do not know their serostatus is a global public health priority. Objective: To assess utilization of provider initiated HIV testing and counseling and associated factors among adult outpatient department patients. Methods: Health facility based cross-sectional study was conducted among 392 adult outpatient department patients in Wonchi woreda from February 24 to March 24, 2013. The study participant was recruited patients from all adult outpatient department patients of all four public health facilities of wonchi woreda using systematic sampling. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to elicit all important variables from the study participants and multiple logistic regression analysis was used. Result: A total of 371 adult outpatient department patients aged between 15 to 64 years were actively participated in the study and 291 (78.4%) of them utilized provider initiated HIV testing and counseling and 80 (21.6%) of them refused. Knowledge on HIV is low in the study population; majority of the participants didn’t have comprehensive knowledge (64.7%) and (35.3%) fail to reject misconception about means of HIV transmission and prevention. Utilization of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling were associated with divorced/widowed marital status [AOR (95%CI) = 0.32 (0.15, 0.69)], being male sex [AOR (95% CI) = 1.81 (1.01, 3.24)], having comprehensive knowledge on HIV [AOR (95%CI) = 0.408 (0.220,0.759)], having awareness about provider initiated HIV testing and counseling [AOR (95%CI) = 2.89 (1.48,5.66)] and receiving test on HIV before [AOR (95%CI) = 4.15 (2.30, 7.47)]. Conclusion: Utilization of provider initiated HIV testing and counseling among adult outpatient departments in wonchi woreda public health facility was [(78.4%)]. Strengthening health information through mass media and peer education on HIV to address barrier to testing in the community such as low awareness on PITC, to increase up take of PITC among adult OPD patients.