Factors associated with HIV self-testing among female university students in Uganda: a cross-sectional study

AIDS Research and Therapy

Research

Ivan Segawa¹  Kevin Ouma Ojiambo²  Sabrina Bakeera-Kitaka³  Lorraine Oriokot³  Timothy R. Muwonge⁴  Kenneth Ssebambulidde⁴  Andrew Mujugira⁴ 

[1] Clinical Epidemiology Unit, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O.Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda;Clinical Epidemiology Unit, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O.Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda;The Campbell Collaboration, Oslo, USA;Department of Paediatrics, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda;Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda;

关键词: Women;    Universities;    HIV;    Self-testing;    HIV testing;    Students;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12981-022-00484-x

 received in 2022-07-18, accepted in 2022-11-14,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAdolescent girls and young women (AGYW) at institutions of higher learning are at high risk of HIV, and conventional HIV testing services may not reach them sufficiently. HIV self-testing (HIVST) scalability can be informed by identifying AGYW who have used or are interested in using HIVST. We aimed to determine factors associated with use and willingness to use HIVST among female university students.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 483 female students at Makerere University, Uganda. Proportions of students who have used or are willing to use HIVST and their associated factors were determined. Modified Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsThe median age of the participants was 22 (Interquartile range [IQR] 21–23) years, and 21% had never tested for HIV. Over 93% were willing to utilize HIVST, and 19% had ever used HIV self-test kits. Increasing age (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.23 per year, 95% CI 1.07–1.43) was significantly associated with HIVST use. Predictors of willingness to self-test for HIV were college type (arts vs. science-based, aPR 0.92, 95% CI 0.88–0.97), number of sexual partners (one, aPR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03–1.12 or ≥ 2, aPR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04–1.19, vs. none), alcohol (aPR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00–1.09) or injection drug (aPR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.09) use, a history of sexually transmitted infections in past 12 months (aPR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01–1.09), and HIV testing experience (tested in past 12 months, aPR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.22 or over 12 months, aPR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03–1.24, vs. never tested).ConclusionHIVST was highly acceptable despite its limited use. This study demonstrates female student characteristics that can be leveraged to scale up HIVST programs in higher institutions of learning.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2022