HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study

Teka Haile; Amanuel Lamessa; Yonas Mekonnen; Meseret Ifa

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11

| Peer-Reviewed

HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study

Teka Haile, Amanuel Lamessa, Yonas Mekonnen, Meseret Ifa

Published in International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science (Volume 8, Issue 1)

Received: 13 December 2021 Accepted: 31 December 2021 Published: 12 January 2022

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Background: Ethiopia adopted UNAIDS goal to end AIDS by 2030 and implementing different innovative approaches to attain this goal. Oromia region has been using social network strategy as an innovative HIV testing approach since 2018. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify HIV prevalence and associated factors among high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in two towns of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: Retrospective study was conducted in two towns of Oromia region; Woliso and Nekemte including 1,486 records of high risk individuals recruited through Social Network Strategy from October, 2018 to September, 2020. Data extraction form was used to collect data from the Social Network Strategy registers. The collected data entered into Epi Info version 7.2.3.1 and exported to SPSS 21.0 for analysis. The significance of association was determined with 95% CI and p < 0.05 measured using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: All 1,486 records of clients recruited through Social Network Strategy in the selected health facilities between October 2018 and September 2020 were included in the study. The median age of the study participants was 22 years (IQR of 22) and majority, 88.3% were female, 591 (39.8%) were seeds, while 60.2% were non-seeds. Among the 1,486 individuals tested for HIV, 105 (7.1%) were new HIV positive of whom 96 (91.4%) were linked to HIV chronic care and 89 (84.8%) started ART. Among the 1,381 participants who were HIV negative, 1,374 (99.5%) were provided condom, 1,377 (99.7%) were given risk reduction counselling, 1,379 (99.9%) were screened for STI and TB, and 104 (7.5%) received HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. From multivariate logistic regression analysis, age 10-19 years (AOR=21.39, 95% CI: 5.90, 77.52), age 20-29 years (AOR=16.78, 95% CI: 5.16, 54.58), age 30-39 years (AOR=5.35, 95% CI: 1.61, 17.84), male sex (AOR=5.48, 95% CI: 2.11, 14.25), and recruiter’s HIV status (AOR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.32) were significantly associated with HIV infection. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of HIV infection among HIV high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in the study area was high. Age, male sex and recruiter’s HIV status were significantly associated with HIV infection. The risk of HIV infection was higher among younger age group. Male clients recruited through social network strategy had higher risk of HIV infection. Similarly, clients whose recruiters were high risk HIV negative status had higher risk of HIV infection.

Published in	International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science (Volume 8, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11
Page(s)	1-7
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

HIV, AIDS, Social, Network, Strategy, Oromia, Ethiopia

References

[1]	D. Ghosh, A. Krishnan, B. Gibson, S.-E. Brown, C. A. Latkin, and F. L. Altice, “Social Network Strategies to Address HIV Prevention and Treatment Continuum of Care Among At-risk and HIV-infected Substance Users: A Systematic Scoping Review,” AIDS Behav, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 1183–1207, Apr. 2017, doi: 10.1007/s10461-016-1413-y.
[2]	X. Yang et al., “Social network strategy as a promising intervention to better reach key populations for promoting HIV prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Sex Transm Infect, Mar. 2020, doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2019-054349.
[3]	Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office, “HIV Prevention in Ethiopia National Road Map 2018 - 2020.” Nov. 2018.
[4]	Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia (FMOH), “National Comprehensive Care and Treatment guideline for Implementation 2018.” 2018.
[5]	The DHS Program, “Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Demographic and Health Survey 2016, Central Statistical Agency Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.” Jul. 2017.
[6]	“PEPFAR 2020 Country Operational Plan Guidance for all PEPFAR Countries., COP20-Guidance_Final-1-15-2020.pdf.” Accessed: Sep. 13, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/COP20-Guidance_Final-1-15-2020.pdf.
[7]	Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia (FMOH) and Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office, “Strategic Case Finding Method to improve HIV testing yield among Key Populations, Social Network HIV Testing Pilot implementation manual.” Jan. 2019.
[8]	S. L. McGoy et al., “Use of Social Network Strategy Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men for HIV Testing, Linkage to Care, and Reengagement in Care, Tennessee, 2013-2016,” Public Health Rep, vol. 133, no. 2_suppl, pp. 43S-51S, Dec. 2018, doi: 10.1177/0033354918801893.
[9]	D. Abramovitz et al., “Using respondent-driven sampling in a hidden population at risk of HIV infection: who do HIV-positive recruiters recruit?,” Sex Transm Dis, vol. 36, no. 12, pp. 750–756, Dec. 2009, doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0b013e3181b0f311.
[10]	H.-P. Kohler, J. R. Behrman, and S. C. Watkins, “Social networks and HIV/AIDs risk perceptions,” Demography, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 1–33, Feb. 2007, doi: 10.1353/dem.2007.0006.
[11]	L. Campeau et al., “Impact of sex work on risk behaviours and their association with HIV positivity among people who inject drugs in Eastern Central Canada: cross-sectional results from an open cohort study,” BMJ Open, vol. 8, no. 1, Jan. 2018, doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019388.
[12]	T. G. M. Sandfort et al., “HIV testing and the HIV care continuum among sub-Saharan African men who have sex with men and transgender women screened for participation in HPTN 075,” PLoS One, vol. 14, no. 5, May 2019, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217501.
[13]	W. Hladik et al., “Burden and characteristics of HIV infection among female sex workers in Kampala, Uganda – a respondent-driven sampling survey,” BMC Public Health, vol. 17, Jun. 2017, doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4428-z.
[14]	P. Girault, K. Green, N. F. Clement, Y. A. A. Rahman, B. Adams, and S. Wambugu, “Piloting a Social Networks Strategy to Increase HIV Testing and Counseling Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Greater Accra and Ashanti Region, Ghana,” AIDS Behav, vol. 19, no. 11, pp. 1990–2000, Nov. 2015, doi: 10.1007/s10461-015-1069-z.
[15]	C. B. Boyer et al., “An assessment of the feasibility and acceptability of a friendship-based social network recruitment strategy to screen at-risk African American and Hispanic/Latina young women for HIV infection,” JAMA Pediatr, vol. 167, no. 3, pp. 289–296, Mar. 2013, doi: 10.1001/2013.jamapediatrics.398.
[16]	C. Schumann et al., “Implementing a Standardized Social Networks Testing Strategy in a Low HIV Prevalence Jurisdiction,” AIDS Behav, vol. 23, no. Suppl 1, pp. 41–47, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.1007/s10461-018-2146-x.
[17]	M. Kan, D. B. Garfinkel, O. Samoylova, R. P. Gray, and K. M. Little, “Social network methods for HIV case-finding among people who inject drugs in Tajikistan,” J Int AIDS Soc, vol. 21 Suppl 5, p. e25139, 2018, doi: 10.1002/jia2.25139.
[18]	H. J. Prudden et al., “Factors Associated with Variations in Population HIV Prevalence across West Africa: Findings from an Ecological Analysis,” PLoS One, vol. 10, no. 12, Dec. 2015, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142601.
[19]	C. A. Latkin, M. A. Davey-Rothwell, A. R. Knowlton, K. A. Alexander, C. T. Williams, and B. Boodram, “Social network approaches to recruitment, HIV prevention, medical care, and medication adherence,” Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999), vol. 63, no. 0 1, p. S54, Jun. 2013, doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182928e2a.
[20]	T. C. Veinot, E. Caldwell, J. Loveluck, M. P. Arnold, and J. Bauermeister, “HIV Testing Behavior and Social Network Characteristics and Functions Among Young Men Who have Sex with Men (YMSM) in Metropolitan Detroit,” AIDS Behav, vol. 20, no. 11, pp. 2739–2761, 2016, doi: 10.1007/s10461-016-1296-y.
[21]	W. Song, M. S. Mulatu, M. Rorie, H. Zhang, and J. W. Gilford, “HIV Testing and Positivity Patterns of Partners of HIV-Diagnosed People in Partner Services Programs, United States, 2013-2014,” Public Health Rep, vol. 132, no. 4, pp. 455–462, Jun. 2017, doi: 10.1177/0033354917710943.
[22]	D. J. Davey et al., “HIV positivity and referral to treatment following index testing of partners and children of HIV-infected patients in public sector facilities in South Africa,” J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, vol. 81, no. 4, pp. 365–370, Aug. 2019, doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002048.
[23]	J. T. F. Lau, J. Gu, H. Tsui, H. Chen, R. Wang, and X. Hu, “How likely are HIV-positive female sex workers in China to transmit HIV to others?,” Sex Health, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 399–406, Sep. 2011, doi: 10.1071/SH10106.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Teka Haile, Amanuel Lamessa, Yonas Mekonnen, Meseret Ifa. (2022). HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science, 8(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Teka Haile; Amanuel Lamessa; Yonas Mekonnen; Meseret Ifa. HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. Int. J. HIV/AIDS Prev. Educ. Behav. Sci. 2022, 8(1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Teka Haile, Amanuel Lamessa, Yonas Mekonnen, Meseret Ifa. HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. Int J HIV/AIDS Prev Educ Behav Sci. 2022;8(1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11,
  author = {Teka Haile and Amanuel Lamessa and Yonas Mekonnen and Meseret Ifa},
  title = {HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study},
  journal = {International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science},
  volume = {8},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijhpebs.20220801.11},
  abstract = {Background: Ethiopia adopted UNAIDS goal to end AIDS by 2030 and implementing different innovative approaches to attain this goal. Oromia region has been using social network strategy as an innovative HIV testing approach since 2018. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify HIV prevalence and associated factors among high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in two towns of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: Retrospective study was conducted in two towns of Oromia region; Woliso and Nekemte including 1,486 records of high risk individuals recruited through Social Network Strategy from October, 2018 to September, 2020. Data extraction form was used to collect data from the Social Network Strategy registers. The collected data entered into Epi Info version 7.2.3.1 and exported to SPSS 21.0 for analysis. The significance of association was determined with 95% CI and p Results: All 1,486 records of clients recruited through Social Network Strategy in the selected health facilities between October 2018 and September 2020 were included in the study. The median age of the study participants was 22 years (IQR of 22) and majority, 88.3% were female, 591 (39.8%) were seeds, while 60.2% were non-seeds. Among the 1,486 individuals tested for HIV, 105 (7.1%) were new HIV positive of whom 96 (91.4%) were linked to HIV chronic care and 89 (84.8%) started ART. Among the 1,381 participants who were HIV negative, 1,374 (99.5%) were provided condom, 1,377 (99.7%) were given risk reduction counselling, 1,379 (99.9%) were screened for STI and TB, and 104 (7.5%) received HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. From multivariate logistic regression analysis, age 10-19 years (AOR=21.39, 95% CI: 5.90, 77.52), age 20-29 years (AOR=16.78, 95% CI: 5.16, 54.58), age 30-39 years (AOR=5.35, 95% CI: 1.61, 17.84), male sex (AOR=5.48, 95% CI: 2.11, 14.25), and recruiter’s HIV status (AOR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.32) were significantly associated with HIV infection. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of HIV infection among HIV high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in the study area was high. Age, male sex and recruiter’s HIV status were significantly associated with HIV infection. The risk of HIV infection was higher among younger age group. Male clients recruited through social network strategy had higher risk of HIV infection. Similarly, clients whose recruiters were high risk HIV negative status had higher risk of HIV infection.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study
AU  - Teka Haile
AU  - Amanuel Lamessa
AU  - Yonas Mekonnen
AU  - Meseret Ifa
Y1  - 2022/01/12
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11
T2  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
JF  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
JO  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
SP  - 1
EP  - 7
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5765
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11
AB  - Background: Ethiopia adopted UNAIDS goal to end AIDS by 2030 and implementing different innovative approaches to attain this goal. Oromia region has been using social network strategy as an innovative HIV testing approach since 2018. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify HIV prevalence and associated factors among high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in two towns of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: Retrospective study was conducted in two towns of Oromia region; Woliso and Nekemte including 1,486 records of high risk individuals recruited through Social Network Strategy from October, 2018 to September, 2020. Data extraction form was used to collect data from the Social Network Strategy registers. The collected data entered into Epi Info version 7.2.3.1 and exported to SPSS 21.0 for analysis. The significance of association was determined with 95% CI and p Results: All 1,486 records of clients recruited through Social Network Strategy in the selected health facilities between October 2018 and September 2020 were included in the study. The median age of the study participants was 22 years (IQR of 22) and majority, 88.3% were female, 591 (39.8%) were seeds, while 60.2% were non-seeds. Among the 1,486 individuals tested for HIV, 105 (7.1%) were new HIV positive of whom 96 (91.4%) were linked to HIV chronic care and 89 (84.8%) started ART. Among the 1,381 participants who were HIV negative, 1,374 (99.5%) were provided condom, 1,377 (99.7%) were given risk reduction counselling, 1,379 (99.9%) were screened for STI and TB, and 104 (7.5%) received HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. From multivariate logistic regression analysis, age 10-19 years (AOR=21.39, 95% CI: 5.90, 77.52), age 20-29 years (AOR=16.78, 95% CI: 5.16, 54.58), age 30-39 years (AOR=5.35, 95% CI: 1.61, 17.84), male sex (AOR=5.48, 95% CI: 2.11, 14.25), and recruiter’s HIV status (AOR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.32) were significantly associated with HIV infection. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of HIV infection among HIV high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in the study area was high. Age, male sex and recruiter’s HIV status were significantly associated with HIV infection. The risk of HIV infection was higher among younger age group. Male clients recruited through social network strategy had higher risk of HIV infection. Similarly, clients whose recruiters were high risk HIV negative status had higher risk of HIV infection.
VL  - 8
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Teka Haile

Woliso Town Health Office, Woliso, Ethiopia
Amanuel Lamessa

Nekemte Town Health Office, Nekemte, Ethiopia
Yonas Mekonnen

Oromia Health Bureau, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Meseret Ifa

Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Teka Haile, Amanuel Lamessa, Yonas Mekonnen, Meseret Ifa. (2022). HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science, 8(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Teka Haile; Amanuel Lamessa; Yonas Mekonnen; Meseret Ifa. HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. Int. J. HIV/AIDS Prev. Educ. Behav. Sci. 2022, 8(1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Teka Haile, Amanuel Lamessa, Yonas Mekonnen, Meseret Ifa. HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study. Int J HIV/AIDS Prev Educ Behav Sci. 2022;8(1):1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11,
  author = {Teka Haile and Amanuel Lamessa and Yonas Mekonnen and Meseret Ifa},
  title = {HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study},
  journal = {International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science},
  volume = {8},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-7},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijhpebs.20220801.11},
  abstract = {Background: Ethiopia adopted UNAIDS goal to end AIDS by 2030 and implementing different innovative approaches to attain this goal. Oromia region has been using social network strategy as an innovative HIV testing approach since 2018. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify HIV prevalence and associated factors among high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in two towns of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: Retrospective study was conducted in two towns of Oromia region; Woliso and Nekemte including 1,486 records of high risk individuals recruited through Social Network Strategy from October, 2018 to September, 2020. Data extraction form was used to collect data from the Social Network Strategy registers. The collected data entered into Epi Info version 7.2.3.1 and exported to SPSS 21.0 for analysis. The significance of association was determined with 95% CI and p Results: All 1,486 records of clients recruited through Social Network Strategy in the selected health facilities between October 2018 and September 2020 were included in the study. The median age of the study participants was 22 years (IQR of 22) and majority, 88.3% were female, 591 (39.8%) were seeds, while 60.2% were non-seeds. Among the 1,486 individuals tested for HIV, 105 (7.1%) were new HIV positive of whom 96 (91.4%) were linked to HIV chronic care and 89 (84.8%) started ART. Among the 1,381 participants who were HIV negative, 1,374 (99.5%) were provided condom, 1,377 (99.7%) were given risk reduction counselling, 1,379 (99.9%) were screened for STI and TB, and 104 (7.5%) received HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. From multivariate logistic regression analysis, age 10-19 years (AOR=21.39, 95% CI: 5.90, 77.52), age 20-29 years (AOR=16.78, 95% CI: 5.16, 54.58), age 30-39 years (AOR=5.35, 95% CI: 1.61, 17.84), male sex (AOR=5.48, 95% CI: 2.11, 14.25), and recruiter’s HIV status (AOR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.32) were significantly associated with HIV infection. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of HIV infection among HIV high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in the study area was high. Age, male sex and recruiter’s HIV status were significantly associated with HIV infection. The risk of HIV infection was higher among younger age group. Male clients recruited through social network strategy had higher risk of HIV infection. Similarly, clients whose recruiters were high risk HIV negative status had higher risk of HIV infection.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - HIV Prevalence and Associated Factors Among High Risk Individuals Recruited Through Social Network Strategy in Oromia Region, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study
AU  - Teka Haile
AU  - Amanuel Lamessa
AU  - Yonas Mekonnen
AU  - Meseret Ifa
Y1  - 2022/01/12
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11
T2  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
JF  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
JO  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
SP  - 1
EP  - 7
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-5765
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220801.11
AB  - Background: Ethiopia adopted UNAIDS goal to end AIDS by 2030 and implementing different innovative approaches to attain this goal. Oromia region has been using social network strategy as an innovative HIV testing approach since 2018. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify HIV prevalence and associated factors among high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in two towns of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: Retrospective study was conducted in two towns of Oromia region; Woliso and Nekemte including 1,486 records of high risk individuals recruited through Social Network Strategy from October, 2018 to September, 2020. Data extraction form was used to collect data from the Social Network Strategy registers. The collected data entered into Epi Info version 7.2.3.1 and exported to SPSS 21.0 for analysis. The significance of association was determined with 95% CI and p Results: All 1,486 records of clients recruited through Social Network Strategy in the selected health facilities between October 2018 and September 2020 were included in the study. The median age of the study participants was 22 years (IQR of 22) and majority, 88.3% were female, 591 (39.8%) were seeds, while 60.2% were non-seeds. Among the 1,486 individuals tested for HIV, 105 (7.1%) were new HIV positive of whom 96 (91.4%) were linked to HIV chronic care and 89 (84.8%) started ART. Among the 1,381 participants who were HIV negative, 1,374 (99.5%) were provided condom, 1,377 (99.7%) were given risk reduction counselling, 1,379 (99.9%) were screened for STI and TB, and 104 (7.5%) received HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. From multivariate logistic regression analysis, age 10-19 years (AOR=21.39, 95% CI: 5.90, 77.52), age 20-29 years (AOR=16.78, 95% CI: 5.16, 54.58), age 30-39 years (AOR=5.35, 95% CI: 1.61, 17.84), male sex (AOR=5.48, 95% CI: 2.11, 14.25), and recruiter’s HIV status (AOR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.32) were significantly associated with HIV infection. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of HIV infection among HIV high risk individuals recruited through social network strategy in the study area was high. Age, male sex and recruiter’s HIV status were significantly associated with HIV infection. The risk of HIV infection was higher among younger age group. Male clients recruited through social network strategy had higher risk of HIV infection. Similarly, clients whose recruiters were high risk HIV negative status had higher risk of HIV infection.
VL  - 8
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download