Compliance and approach to voluntary HIV testing in a high-risk region for HIV transmission in Europe

Abstract

Background: The Kosovo province is being considered as a high-risk region for the spread of HIV.
 Objective: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with HIV testing in a sample of university students from the Serbian northern Kosovo province.
 Material and Methods: A questionnaire examining socio-demographic characteristics, HIV–related knowledge, attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLHIV) and HIV testing was used in data collection. A total of 1,017 students from the University of Priština temporarily seated in Kosovska Mitrovica completed the questionnaire.
 Results: Only 5.4% of students have previously been tested for HIV, even though the majority (70.9%) had a positive approach to HIV testing. Factors associated with having been tested for HIV were being male and younger, having interest in HIV testing and having previous contact with PLHIV. Being more knowledgeable about HIV and having stronger positive attitude towards PLHIV, being older, receiving information about HIV through friends and special educational programs, using condom at last sexual intercourse, having positive opinion on gays/lesbians and previous contact with PLHIV were associated with positive approach to HIV testing.
 Conclusion: Having a positive approach to HIV testing does not suggest that students would take the HIV test. However, students who have low HIV-related knowledge, negative approach or lack of interest in HIV testing (believing that there is no need to take it) would likely never take the HIV test. Increasing HIV-related knowledge, acceptance of PLHIV and access to testing facilities should be public health priorities to raise HIV testing rates.
 Keywords: HIV testing; attitude; knowledge; University students.

Editorial: Non-communicable diseases; sexual reproductive issues; infectious diseases and health systems challenges

“…This includes papers on cancer [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] ; diabetes mellitus [13][14][15][16] ; surgery [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] ; other non-communicable diseases [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] , as well as sexual reproductive health [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] . The menu continues with HIV / AIDS papers [47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54] . This is appropriate because 1 st December is World AIDS Day and countries in Sub Saharan Africa have little to celebrate as new infections and needless deaths continue in the face of global and local financial challenges.…”

“…This includes papers on cancer 1 – 12 ; diabetes mellitus 13 – 16 ; surgery 15 – 25 ; other non-communicable diseases 26 – 33 , as well as sexual reproductive health 34 – 46 . The menu continues with HIV /AIDS papers 47 – 54 . This is appropriate because 1 st December is World AIDS Day and countries in Sub Saharan Africa have little to celebrate as new infections and needless deaths continue in the face of global and local financial challenges.…”