Factors Associated with HIV Testing Among Public Sector Clinic Attendees in Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) remains low in many sub-Saharan African countries. Men and women aged 15 and older were recruited from a family planning, STI, and VCT clinic in inner-city Johannesburg between 2004 and 2005 to take part in a cross-sectional survey on HIV testing (n = 198). 48% of participants reported previously being tested for HIV and, of these, 86.9% reported disclosing their status to their sex partner. In multivariable analyses, individuals whose partners had been tested for HIV were more likely to have been tested (AOR 2.92; 95% CI: 1.38–6.20). In addition, those who reported greater blame/shame attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS were less likely to have been tested (AOR 0.35; 95% CI: 0.16–0.77) while those reporting more equitable attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS were more likely to have been tested (AOR 2.87; 95% CI: 1.20–6.86). Promotion of and increased access to couples HIV testing should be made available within the South African context