Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV among high school students in the Tiko health district, Cameroon

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services for HIV by high school students in the Tiko health district (THD), Cameroon. A cross sectional descriptive, analytical study was conducted using a pre-established questionnaire among high school students in the Tiko health district where a multi stage sampling method was used. A total of 474 students were included in the study. Among them, 350 (73.8%) had heard about VCT, 136 (27.8%) had undergone VCT and 329 (69.4%) were willing to undergo VCT. The use of VCT services was positively associated with age (p<0.001), sex (p<0.001), school (p<0.001), sexual activity (p=0.001), attitude (p=0.001) towards and knowledge of VCT (p<0.001). Knowledge of VCT among the students was high but the use of VCT services was low. We recommend that free screening for HIV should be offered in secondary schools of THD.

Pan African Medical Journal 2102; 13:18