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Factors Associated with Changes in Uptake of HIV Testing among Young Women (age 15-24) in Tanzania from 2003 to 2012 (English) 

Document Type

Working Papers

Publication Topic(s)

HIV/AIDS

Country(s)

Tanzania

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Phimemon, Rune N., Michael J. Mahande, and Habib O. Ramadhani. 2015. Factors Associated with Changes in Uptake of HIV Testing among Young Women (age 15–24) in Tanzania from 2003 to 2012. DHS Working Papers No. 119. Rockville, Maryland, USA: ICF International.

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Publication Date

September 2015

Publication ID

WP119

Abstract:

This study explored the factors associated with changes in uptake of HIV testing in Tanzania, based on an analysis of data from the 2003–04 Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey (THIS) and the 2007–08 and 2011–12 Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Surveys (THMIS). The study population consisted of young women age 15–24 at the time of the survey. Multivariate decomposition analysis was used to assess factors associated with the changes in HIV testing uptake between the 2003-04 and 2007-08 surveys and between the 2007-08 and 2011-12 surveys. HIV testing uptake among the study population was 7%, in 2003-04, 31% in 2007-08 and 40% in 2011-12. The time period of the survey had an important effect on uptake of HIV testing independent of other covariates. Women’s characteristics that were significantly associated with higher odds of HIV testing across the surveys were age (20–24), education level (primary and secondary), ever being married, having at least one lifetime sexual partner, having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or STI symptoms and attending antenatal care (ANC). According to the decomposition models used in the study, changes in women’s characteristics (endowments) in the 2003–04 surveys compared with the 2007–08 survey would have resulted in a decrease in HIV testing uptake in the absence of the changes in effects of these characteristics, which contributed most of the changes in HIV testing uptake. Comparing 2007–08 with 2011–12, the changes in endowments contributed to 21% of the changes in HIV testing uptake, while 78% of the changes were attributed to coefficients.