Determinants of HIV Testing Uptake among Undergraduate Students Aged 17-26 Years at the University of Nairobi, Kenya

BACKGROUND: The human immunodeficiency virus infection among young people remains a public health concern around the global. To reduce HIV incidences among the young people. To reduce the HIV incidences among the group of young people, the identification of the determinants that influence the uptake of HIV testing especially students are mandatory. Hence help to prevent and control the epidemic.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the determinants that associated with the uptake of HIV testing among undergraduate students at the college of Health Sciences.

METHODS: Analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Nairobi among undergraduate students aged 17- 26 years. Stratified proportionate sampling technique was used to select participants for each school within a college. Data was collected using a closed ended questionnaire and STATA version 11.2 developed by Stata Corp was used to analyse data in which multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed. Confidence interval and level of significance were set at 5% and 20% respectively.

RESULTS: Determinants associated with the HIV testing uptake among the young students were as follows; privacy of the location of Testing center (AOR:8.1; 95%Cl:2.7-24.6; p<0.01), peer influence (AOR:1.6; 95%Cl:1.0-2.4; p=0.05), duration in the academic programme (AOR:0.77; 95%Cl:0.25-2.28; p=0.03), and whether the participants were sexually active or not (AOR:2.1; 95%Cl:1.3-3.2; p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: The uptake of HIV testing was increased by, privacy of Testing location, sexually active and peer influence.