Scale-up of Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing in Kenya

How informal healthcare providers improve uptake of HIV testing: qualitative results from a randomized controlled trial

“…These economic and logistic barriers are not unique to HIV testing, and may reflect barriers to healthcare utilization in rural, impoverished settings more broadly. Transportation as a barrier to accessing HIV services have been previously described in other resource-poor settings [15,43–48]. Additionally, we found that many participants tended to prioritize income generating activities over HIV testing; this finding mirrors other work, which illustrates similar emphasis on economic productivity over healthcare utilization, particularly among men [49–52].…”

HIV voluntary counselling and testing in Nakuru, Kenya: findings from a community survey

“…It was therefore reassuring to note that about 84% of the participants were aware of a facility where VCT services could be obtained. Consistent with Kenyan national statistics, where 75% of VCT recipients are from urban or peri-urban locations [25], most of the Nakuru VCT facilities are located in the urban areas. As about 60% of the Nakuru population live in rural areas, targeted awareness campaigns, and enhanced access through programmes such as mobile vans [25], may facilitate utilization of VCT by rural residents.…”

“…Consistent with Kenyan national statistics, where 75% of VCT recipients are from urban or peri-urban locations [25], most of the Nakuru VCT facilities are located in the urban areas. As about 60% of the Nakuru population live in rural areas, targeted awareness campaigns, and enhanced access through programmes such as mobile vans [25], may facilitate utilization of VCT by rural residents.Dedicated VCT clinics and private doctors' offices were rated as the two most desirable facilities for VCT in our study. In contrast, although the majority of study participants were women, family planning and antenatal clinics were rated as less desirable.…”

Increasing the acceptability of HIV counseling and testing with three C's: Convenience, confidentiality and credibility

“…Respondents appeared to trust results they could see and interpret for themselves. Studies from other African countries report similar findings: persons receiving VCT with a rapid blood test expressed greater confidence in the test outcome (Marum et al, 2006); and, because the rapid test reduced the waiting time to receive results, it minimized stress and loss to follow-up (see Kassler et al, 1998; Roberts, Grusky, & Swanson, 2007). Respondents' trust also seemed to be enhanced because they had control over the dissemination of the results: not only were the VCT counselors from outside the area, assuaging concerns that someone other than themselves would reveal their test outcome, respondents who were tested also disposed of the testing technology.…”