Factors associated with acceptability of HIV test screening among women receiving post abortion care at Juba Teaching hospital, South Sudan: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Knowledge of HIV in South Sudan is extremely low with 45 percent of women aged 15- 49 having ever heard about the virus. The country hasThe country hasThe country hasThe country hasThe country hasThe country hasThe country has a generalized national HIV prevalence of 3.1%. Clients seeking Post abortion care services accounts for over 50% of all gynecological admissions in Juba Teaching Hospital JTH, these patients are at risk of HIV and other (STIs) due to their exposure to unprotected sex. Currently HIV testing is not routinely offered as part of post abortion care services package in JTH. This is a disadvantage for these women, as this might be the only chance for some of them to get in touch with a health facility. Objective: To determine factors that are associated with the acceptability of HIV testing among women receiving post abortion care (PAC) at JTH. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted at the gynecological unit of the Juba Teaching Hospital in South Sudan. Three hundred and fourty patients were recruited into the study and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Results: The mean age for the participants was 24.7 years,50.6% aged <25years, 86.2% were married,31.5% were employed, and 31.8% had no any formal education. Acceptability of HIV testing was 70.9%. Patients aged>25years and those with university education were more likely to accept the HIV testing. Employment status, religion, marital status and utilization of the various reproductive health services did not show a significant association with acceptability of HIV testing. About two thirds77.1%of the participants had a prior HIV testing mostly for the purposes of antenatal care profile, and 53.2% were tested in hospitals. Patients previously tested 4 for HIV were more likely to accept the HIV testing. The most common reason given by the participants for not accepting the HIV testing was that they believe they were HIV negative based on previous HIV test results. Four participants had a positive test results. The study gave a HIV prevalence of 2.7%. Conclusion: The acceptability of HIV screening among post abortion care patients at JTH is at 70.0%, this level is low if compared to the WHO 2020 target. Elderly women and those with university or college education were more likely to accept HIV testing. Women who had previously been tested for HIV were also more likely to accept testing, while other factors like employment, religion, and marital status did not show a significant association with acceptability of HIV testing. The study gave a HIV prevalence rate of 2.9% slightly lower than the country’s prevalence rate which was set at 3.1%. It’s also much low comparing to the prevalence rate in the Sub-Saharan Africa which has been estimated at 4.9% in 2011, thus South Sudan has a real task towards achieving the WHO 2020 target.