Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysis
Abstract Background HIV testing is a crucial starting point for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of HIV. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest global HIV/AIDS prevalence and mortality, yet HIV testing remains sub-optimal. Thus, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of HIV testing and as...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Pediatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03698-0 |
| _version_ | 1798016755137773568 |
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| author | Mi Sook Jung Nondumiso Satiso Dlamini Xirong Cui Kyeongin Cha |
| author_facet | Mi Sook Jung Nondumiso Satiso Dlamini Xirong Cui Kyeongin Cha |
| author_sort | Mi Sook Jung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background HIV testing is a crucial starting point for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of HIV. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest global HIV/AIDS prevalence and mortality, yet HIV testing remains sub-optimal. Thus, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years in Eswatini, a country with the highest HIV prevalence in the world. Methods Data were obtained from Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey between 2016 and 2017 (SHIMS 2), an internationally supported national survey aimed at combating HIV/AIDS. A total of 739 young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years were selected for the final analysis after deleting cases with missing values for the key variables. The effects of demographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, HIV risk perception, belief about HIV testing, perceived service accessibility, and parent-child sexual and reproductive health communication on lifetime HIV testing as an outcome variable, were explored using multivariable logistic regression. Results Only 52.0% of young adolescents reported “ever tested” for HIV in their lifetime. Age (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.73–0.90), residence (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.43–0.74), and perceived service accessibility (OR = 3.10, (95% CI = 1.47–6.56) were identified as important factors associated with receiving HIV testing among young adolescents. Conclusions A low rate of HIV testing was identified among young adolescents in Eswatini compared to the intended global goal of HIV testing coverage. Our findings suggested the importance of young adolescent-friendly educational and environmental interventions needed to improve the prevalence of HIV testing by reducing misperceptions about the risk of HIV and alleviating environmental constraints to access to HIV services. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:55:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7be8d99e52494f5ea74c8ff8603ee5ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2431 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:55:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-7be8d99e52494f5ea74c8ff8603ee5ad2022-12-22T04:15:10ZengBMCBMC Pediatrics1471-24312022-11-012211810.1186/s12887-022-03698-0Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysisMi Sook Jung0Nondumiso Satiso Dlamini1Xirong Cui2Kyeongin Cha3College of Nursing, Chungnam National UniversityCollege of Nursing, Chungnam National UniversityCollege of Nursing, Chungnam National UniversityCollege of Nursing, Chungnam National UniversityAbstract Background HIV testing is a crucial starting point for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of HIV. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest global HIV/AIDS prevalence and mortality, yet HIV testing remains sub-optimal. Thus, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years in Eswatini, a country with the highest HIV prevalence in the world. Methods Data were obtained from Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey between 2016 and 2017 (SHIMS 2), an internationally supported national survey aimed at combating HIV/AIDS. A total of 739 young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years were selected for the final analysis after deleting cases with missing values for the key variables. The effects of demographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, HIV risk perception, belief about HIV testing, perceived service accessibility, and parent-child sexual and reproductive health communication on lifetime HIV testing as an outcome variable, were explored using multivariable logistic regression. Results Only 52.0% of young adolescents reported “ever tested” for HIV in their lifetime. Age (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.73–0.90), residence (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.43–0.74), and perceived service accessibility (OR = 3.10, (95% CI = 1.47–6.56) were identified as important factors associated with receiving HIV testing among young adolescents. Conclusions A low rate of HIV testing was identified among young adolescents in Eswatini compared to the intended global goal of HIV testing coverage. Our findings suggested the importance of young adolescent-friendly educational and environmental interventions needed to improve the prevalence of HIV testing by reducing misperceptions about the risk of HIV and alleviating environmental constraints to access to HIV services.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03698-0AdolescentHIV testingPerception, Prevalence, Eswatini |
| spellingShingle | Mi Sook Jung Nondumiso Satiso Dlamini Xirong Cui Kyeongin Cha Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysis BMC Pediatrics Adolescent HIV testing Perception, Prevalence, Eswatini |
| title | Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysis |
| title_full | Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysis |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysis |
| title_short | Prevalence of HIV testing and associated factors among young adolescents in Eswatini: a secondary data analysis |
| title_sort | prevalence of hiv testing and associated factors among young adolescents in eswatini a secondary data analysis |
| topic | Adolescent HIV testing Perception, Prevalence, Eswatini |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03698-0 |
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