Dec.1 is #WorldAIDSDay - HIV/AIDS-related stigma and HIV test uptake in Ghana: evidence from the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey
Dec.1 is World AIDS Day. This blog post will be highlighting a recent article on Bioline from African Population Studies called "HIV/AIDS-related stigma and HIV test uptake in Ghana: evidence from the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey" by Novignon et al. in African Population Studies vol.28 no.3.
The researchers note that the effectiveness of the Ghana AIDS commission (GAC)'s testing and counselling policies could be hindered due to stigma, but since the GAC was created in 2001, HIV/AIDS in Ghana has is on a downward trend. For example, the percentage of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2003 was 3.6 per cent, and in 2005 it dropped to 2.7 per cent.
This study aims to uncover the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and whether this stigma affects HIV testing, and whether testing is affected by socio-economics such as education level, sexual behaviour and wealth status.
For this study, data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey was used. The survey is part of population and health surveys done in Ghana in part of a global demographic survey program. Ghana Statistical Service and Ghana Health Service collaborated to administer the survey.
6141 households were surveyed. Participants were men between the ages of 15 and 59 and women between the ages of 15 and 49. The final sample included 1635 men and 1676 women who were sexually active in the past 12 months.
The results indicated that over 69 per cent of women and almost 77 per cent of men knew what HIV/AIDS was and where to get tested. However, only 26.2 per cent of women and 16.8 per cent of men had ever been tested.
The results also indicated that the majority of survey participants (74.2 per cent of women and 80.3 per cent of men) were willing to care for a relative with HIV/AIDS, but 59.7 per cent of men and 73.1 per cent of women would stop buying from a vendor if they found out the vendor had HIV/AIDS.
Some of the other findings in this study were that the majority of respondents who said they would not care for a relative living with HIV/AIDS had also never been tested for HIV/AIDS themselves. Both men and women participants who had no formal education were less likely to get testing for HIV/AIDS.
The study concludes that despite knowledge of HIV/AIDS in Ghana, testing for the disease is low. Although it is important that people are made aware of the disease, further knowledge and education must be provided in the treatment, prevention and transmission. Accessibility and affordability is needed. Community engagement through campaigns and free counselling is also recommended.
The researchers note that the effectiveness of the Ghana AIDS commission (GAC)'s testing and counselling policies could be hindered due to stigma, but since the GAC was created in 2001, HIV/AIDS in Ghana has is on a downward trend. For example, the percentage of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2003 was 3.6 per cent, and in 2005 it dropped to 2.7 per cent.
This study aims to uncover the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and whether this stigma affects HIV testing, and whether testing is affected by socio-economics such as education level, sexual behaviour and wealth status.
For this study, data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey was used. The survey is part of population and health surveys done in Ghana in part of a global demographic survey program. Ghana Statistical Service and Ghana Health Service collaborated to administer the survey.
6141 households were surveyed. Participants were men between the ages of 15 and 59 and women between the ages of 15 and 49. The final sample included 1635 men and 1676 women who were sexually active in the past 12 months.
The results indicated that over 69 per cent of women and almost 77 per cent of men knew what HIV/AIDS was and where to get tested. However, only 26.2 per cent of women and 16.8 per cent of men had ever been tested.
The results also indicated that the majority of survey participants (74.2 per cent of women and 80.3 per cent of men) were willing to care for a relative with HIV/AIDS, but 59.7 per cent of men and 73.1 per cent of women would stop buying from a vendor if they found out the vendor had HIV/AIDS.
Some of the other findings in this study were that the majority of respondents who said they would not care for a relative living with HIV/AIDS had also never been tested for HIV/AIDS themselves. Both men and women participants who had no formal education were less likely to get testing for HIV/AIDS.
The study concludes that despite knowledge of HIV/AIDS in Ghana, testing for the disease is low. Although it is important that people are made aware of the disease, further knowledge and education must be provided in the treatment, prevention and transmission. Accessibility and affordability is needed. Community engagement through campaigns and free counselling is also recommended.
Labels: demographic, Featured Article, Ghana, health, HIV test uptake, HIV testing, HIV/AIDS, Logistic regression, stigma, World AIDS Day
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