Factors motivating young people in Malawi to go for voluntary counselling and testing for HIV

Abstract

Background : Knowledge about how HIV is transmitted and one's own HIV status is a way to empower oneself. Young people (14-25 years) are more vulnerable to this infection. Knowledgeable young people can solve the problem regarding HIV / AIDS. Purpose and objectives : The purpose was to enable more young people in Malawi to utilise voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services. The objectives of the study were to identify factors motivating young people to use VCT services Malawi, identify barriers preventing them from doing so and to formulate strategies for helping them to utilise VCT services. Only young people who had used VCT services participated in this study. Method : A quantitative, descriptive and exploratory research design was followed. Structured interviews were conducted with 145 respondents at three VCT service sites. Results : Young people go for VCT mainly to know their HIV status because they are sexually active and feel at risk. Exposure to education, proximity of VCT services, provision of VCT services by peers, and clean VCT sites motivate young people to access VCT services. Fear of being HIV positive, poor attitudes of health service providers towards young people, and long queues at VCT sites were seen as barriers to the utilisation of these services. Provision of more VCT information, involving young people as VCT counsellors and providers and the availability of youth-friendly health services will promote young people's utilisation of VCT services in Malawi.