Factors Influencing Utilization Of Vct Services As A Strategy For Hiv/Aids Control Among Administration Police Officers

Abstract

Voluntary, Counseling and Testing VCT, is an integrated service in HIV/AIDS prevention. FHI, (2006) defined VCT as willingness of an individual to make decision; get guidance and direction to test for his/ her HIV status. The aim of the study was determine the factors which influence utilization of VCT services among Administration Police Officers at APTC. It adopted a descriptive cross- sectional design. Subjects were recruited following random sampling and systematic sampling and questionnaires were used to collect the information from the respondent A total of 225 respondents were interviewed. The mean age of the interviewed officers was 31 years; the modal age was 27 years. More than two fifths (44.0%) of total the respondents were Catholics, three quarters (72.8%) of them were married and over 70% had reached secondary level of education, All the respondents interviewed have ever heard of VCT services, majority of them (88%) knew at least four benefits of VCT services and slightly more than two fifths (45%) have ever utilized VCT services, majority of them (71.1%) were aged between 39 – 42 years, Christians (74.8%), d/separated (100%), and those with highest level of educational. The frequently cited motivations for testing were; to know HIV status (100%), had ill health (25.6%), past sexual experience (21.6%), for employment (11.2%), and for weeding purposes, (10.4%) among other reasons. Among those who have never tested in the past presiding the study period, have not done so because of the reasons ranging from fear of test results (92.3%), HIV Stigmatization (91.3%), fear of VCT counselors (59.4%), and confidentiality of the results (44.9%)The findings indicated that, VCT utilization was varying across the socio-demographic characteristic of the officers. Knowledge on VCT information and source of information was rather constant and uniform. Utilization of VCT is influenced by individuals’ perception on VCT and HIV, practices for and against utilization, motivations behind motivations behind utilizations VCT utilizations, and Category of persons who requests for the utilization of VCT services. In order to increase utilization if VCT services among AP the study recommends that the Administration Police Service through the medical unit should; Incorporate its training programme with seminars to create awareness of VCT for HIV test, as a routine to offer VCT services to the recruits on training on voluntary basis, to enable them understand the benefits and importance of knowing their HIV status, Publish leaflets on HIV/AIDS and VCT services regularly to AP officers to increase their awareness to VCT services, AP trained VCT counselors to work without uniform in order to eliminate fear of VCT counselors among those officers seeking VCT services.