Back to browse results
Correlates of HIV Testing Among Young People in Ghana
Authors: Eugene K. M. Darteh, Joshua Amo-Adjei, and Kofi Awusabo-Asare
Source: Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, 13(3): 219-233; DOI: 10.1080/15381501.2012.748583
Topic(s): HIV testing
HIV/AIDS
Mass media
Sexual behavior
Youth
Country: Africa
  Ghana
Published: AUG 2014
Abstract: Knowledge of HIV status provides opportunities for patients to seek early treatment, facilitates referral for social support, counseling on contraceptive use and responsible sexual behavior. The authors identify factors that predispose young people (15 to 24 years) to seek HIV testing. Drawing on data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, both bivariate and multivariate results are presented. Compared with females, males reported minimal levels of testing, although demand for testing was observed to be generally low among the respondents. For females, being married or cohabiting correlated with testing decisions, while age was the key determinant among males. High frequency of exposure to a radio was a common determinant between both sexes. Because testing will continue to be a major strategy for HIV prevention, it is imperative to make messages on testing attractive to increase uptake among young people who are at higher risk of infection. KEYWORDS • Ghana, • HIV/AIDS, • media exposure, • sexual behavior, • testing, • young people