Objective To evaluate the association between utilization of HIV testing and condom use amongst Cameroonian youth/adolescents who are not known to be HIV-infected. Background Worldwide, HIV is spreading most quickly amongst youth/adolescents. Between 44% and 82% of sexually active youth in Cameroon report inconsistent condom use. Data regarding utilization of HIV testing and condom use is lacking. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to 431 youth ages 12-26 years in Cameroon from September to December 2011. Data on socio-demographics, sexual risk behaviors, self-reported HIV status, and condom use were collected. We compared rates of inconsistent condom use between those known HIV negative who utilized testing (HIV-N) versus those with unknown status due to unutilized testing (HIV-U). Inconsistent condom use was defined as responding “never,” “sometimes,” or “usually,” while consistent condom use was defined as responding “always” to questions regarding frequency of condom use. Generalized Estimating Equations were applied to assess the association between HIV testing and inconsistent condom use adjusting for other confounders. Results Of 414 eligible respondents, 205 were HIV-U and 209 HIV-N. HIV-U subjects were younger (mean age =16.4 vs. 17.9, p<0.001) and more likely to report living in an urban area (p=0.002) than HIV-N subjects. Seventy-two percent (137/191) of sexually active youth reported inconsistent condom use. After adjusting for potential confounders, HIV-U status [Odds Ratio (OR) =3.97, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) =1.68-6.01] was associated with inconsistent condom use. Similarly, female gender (OR=3.2, 95% CI=1.29-7.89) was associated with inconsistent condom use, while older age at sexual debut was associated with a decreased risk for inconsistent condom use (OR=0.67, 95% CI=0.56-0.81). Conclusion Cameroonian adolescents report high rates of inconsistent condom use which we found to be associated with self-reported unknown HIV status due to unutilized HIV testing. Successful HIV prevention programs among African youths/adolescents may benefit from expanded HIV testing programs.
Objectives:Young women are more likely to be infected with HIV globally, in sub-Saharan Africa, and in Cameroon. Despite its clear clinical and public health benefits, condom use among HIV-infected women continues to be low. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of inconsistent condom use among HIV-infected women in Cameroon and the factors associated with it.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study of HIV-infected young women aged 17–26 years from three semi-urban HIV clinics in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. This study was a subgroup analysis of a previously reported study on inconsistent condom use in HIV-infected and -uninfected youth. Inconsistent condom use was defined as reporting “sometimes” or “never” to questions regarding frequency of condom use. Logistic regression modeling was used to determine factors associated with inconsistent condom use.Results:A total of 84 participants were recruited and submitted completed questionnaires for analysis. Median age was 24 years (interquartile range = 22–25) and the median age at HIV diagnosis was 21 years (interquartile range = 20–23). Fifty percent of the participants reported no prior schooling or only primary school education. Overall, 61/84 (73%) reported inconsistent condom use. After adjusting for potential confounders, education to the secondary school level was protective against inconsistent condom use (odds ratio = 0.19; confidence interval: 0.04–0.95), and having ≥2 pregnancies was associated with inconsistent condom use (odds ratio = 7.52; confidence interval: 1.67–34.00).Conclusion:There is a high prevalence of inconsistent condom use among young HIV-infected women in Cameroon, which appears to be associated with lower levels of educational attainment and higher parity. Further larger studies assessing the factors associated with poor condom use in this population are warranted and may inform public health policy in resource-limited settings with high HIV prevalence.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.