Factors that influence uptake of HIV testing among women with limited education in Uganda

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with uptake of HIV testing and Counselling among women with limited education in Uganda. In this study, limited education referred to women who attained no or had primary level of education. The study used the 2016 UDHS and analysis was done using frequency distributions, chi-square tests and binary logistic regression. The prevalence of uptake of HIV testing among women with limited education was 59 percent. It was highest (OR=1.27; CI =1.07-1.50) among women in the 20-24 age group compared to those in the 15-19 age group, widowed (OR=2.08; CI=1.71-2.53) compared to the never-married, the richer compared to the poorest (OR=1.27; C=1.07-1.51); employed as professionals (OR=1.44; CI=1.04-1.99) compared to the not working, those who owned a mobile phone (OR=1.28; CI=1.14-1.44) compared to those who did not, among women who hesitated to take HIV test (OR=1.20; CI=1.06-1.37) compared to those who did not, among those who had two or more sexual partners (OR=2.53; CI=1.87-3.42) compared to those who did not have and those who attended ANC the recommended 4 or more times (OR=1.47; CI=1.30-1.67) compared to those who did not attend at all. In addition, reduced odds were noted among women above 40 years (OR=0.81; CI=0.679-0.970) compared to the 15-19 age group, resided in the rural (OR=0.80, CI=0.68-0.93) area compared to those who resided in the urban areas and those with stigma attitudes (OR=0.86; CI=0.79-0.94) compared to those who did not. In light of the findings, the socio-economic status of women should be improved, promote the use of all available media platforms as such as radios to disseminate health messages targeting single and older women, strengthen all the decentralized health systems to conduct outreaches to scale up HIV testing, and equip the maternity and ART clinics with adequate staff, infrastructure, modern medical equipment and technologies to effect HIV testing such as the use of oral HIV testing.