Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in Kenya

The main objective of this study was to examine the association between media exposure and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), and factors that influenced VCT among Kenyan women and men. Retrospective cross-sectional data from Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2003 were used, adjusting for wei...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elijah O. Onsomu, DaKysha Moore, Benta A. Abuya, Peggy Valentine, Vanessa Duren-Winfield
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2013-07-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013497721
_version_ 1818301050714587136
author Elijah O. Onsomu
DaKysha Moore
Benta A. Abuya
Peggy Valentine
Vanessa Duren-Winfield
author_facet Elijah O. Onsomu
DaKysha Moore
Benta A. Abuya
Peggy Valentine
Vanessa Duren-Winfield
author_sort Elijah O. Onsomu
collection DOAJ
description The main objective of this study was to examine the association between media exposure and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), and factors that influenced VCT among Kenyan women and men. Retrospective cross-sectional data from Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2003 were used, adjusting for weights and strata to account for survey complex design. The study sample comprised women aged 15 to 49 ( n = 8,050) and men aged 15 to 54 ( n = 3,539). Among those who read newspapers/magazines almost every day, fewer women (15%) had been tested for HIV than men (31%), p < .001. Among women, those who read newspapers/magazines at least once a week (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.29, p < .001) and almost every day (AOR = 1.3, p < .001) were more likely to be tested than those who did not read at all. Among men, this was nonsignificant. However, those who read newspapers/magazines almost every day (AOR = 1.14, p < .05) were more likely to be tested than those who did not read at all. Significant odds of being tested for HIV were observed among men who watched television almost every day (AOR = 1.21, p < .001) versus women (AOR = 1.07, p < .05) compared with those who did not watch television at all. Results suggest a need to increase HIV messages in all media to scaling-up HIV testing in Kenya.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T05:16:51Z
format Article
id doaj.art-734c735382124d0e990f783d51796915
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2158-2440
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T05:16:51Z
publishDate 2013-07-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series SAGE Open
spelling doaj.art-734c735382124d0e990f783d517969152022-12-21T23:58:25ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402013-07-01310.1177/215824401349772110.1177_2158244013497721Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in KenyaElijah O. Onsomu0DaKysha Moore1Benta A. Abuya2Peggy Valentine3Vanessa Duren-Winfield4Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC, USAJohnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC, USAAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, KenyaWinston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC, USAWinston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC, USAThe main objective of this study was to examine the association between media exposure and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), and factors that influenced VCT among Kenyan women and men. Retrospective cross-sectional data from Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2003 were used, adjusting for weights and strata to account for survey complex design. The study sample comprised women aged 15 to 49 ( n = 8,050) and men aged 15 to 54 ( n = 3,539). Among those who read newspapers/magazines almost every day, fewer women (15%) had been tested for HIV than men (31%), p < .001. Among women, those who read newspapers/magazines at least once a week (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.29, p < .001) and almost every day (AOR = 1.3, p < .001) were more likely to be tested than those who did not read at all. Among men, this was nonsignificant. However, those who read newspapers/magazines almost every day (AOR = 1.14, p < .05) were more likely to be tested than those who did not read at all. Significant odds of being tested for HIV were observed among men who watched television almost every day (AOR = 1.21, p < .001) versus women (AOR = 1.07, p < .05) compared with those who did not watch television at all. Results suggest a need to increase HIV messages in all media to scaling-up HIV testing in Kenya.https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013497721
spellingShingle Elijah O. Onsomu
DaKysha Moore
Benta A. Abuya
Peggy Valentine
Vanessa Duren-Winfield
Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in Kenya
SAGE Open
title Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in Kenya
title_full Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in Kenya
title_fullStr Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in Kenya
title_short Importance of the Media in Scaling-Up HIV Testing in Kenya
title_sort importance of the media in scaling up hiv testing in kenya
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013497721
work_keys_str_mv AT elijahoonsomu importanceofthemediainscalinguphivtestinginkenya
AT dakyshamoore importanceofthemediainscalinguphivtestinginkenya
AT bentaaabuya importanceofthemediainscalinguphivtestinginkenya
AT peggyvalentine importanceofthemediainscalinguphivtestinginkenya
AT vanessadurenwinfield importanceofthemediainscalinguphivtestinginkenya