An Assesement Of Knowledge And Perceived Barriers To Undergo Voluntary Hiv Counseling And Testing

The study was designed to assess the knowledge of young adults in Hossanarntown on voluntary HIV counseling and testing services and perceived barriersrnto undergo voluntary HIV counseling and testing. A descriptive survey methodrnwas employed. A Stratified random sample of 350 young adults aged 15-49 wasrnselected, 50.3% of them male and 49.7% females and administered selfadministeredrnquestionnaire. Apart from this, data were gathered from VCTrnCounselors, HIV Secretariat office managers, Youth HIV Co-coordinators,rnAnti-AIDS Club Co-coordinators, community leaders and HIV-positive youngrnadults using focus group discussion and face-to- face interview. Bothrnquantitative and qualitative procedures were used.rnThe finding showed that young adults in Hossana town have adequaternknowledge to undergo VCT and feeling that they need to undergo VCT whenrnthey intend to be married and to go abroad, stigma and discrimination if theyrnare positive and lack of care and support for HIV infected were the majorrnbarriers to undergo VCT.rnHence it is concluded that, even if young adults in Hossana have adequaternknowledge on VCT services, due to perceived barriers the majority did notrnundergo VCT.rnDepending on the results, sensitization of young adults to participate on VCT andrnestablishment of effective care and support system for the infected werernrecommended.

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