HIV/AIDS testing and counseling practices in Uganda: a program proposal

[摘要] The current HIV epidemic, thought to have begun in the 1970s, was recognized as an emerging disease in the early 1980s. HIV most likely originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo around 1920 when HIV crossed the species barrier from chimpanzees to human. HIV first appeared in Uganda in 1986. Since 1992 Uganda has had a significant decline in HIV prevalence from 24 percent at the height of the epidemic to six percent in the early 2000s and remains steady. The World Health Organization program currently outlines prevention strategies: (1) testing and counseling, (2) using condoms (male or female), (3) volunteering for male medical circumcision, (4) using antiretroviral therapies (ARTs), (5) using harm reduction strategies, and (6) eliminating mother-to-child transmission. A range of factors from accessibility, availability to sociocultural norms influences the use of HIV testing and counseling services in Uganda. Currently, in Uganda, roughly half of the adult population (55 percent of women and 47 percent of men) have had an HIV test in the past year and are aware of their HIV status. The main gap in HIV testing and counseling services is the lack of community-based services. The limited community-level services and supports that exist do not cover the full continuum of care. Public Health Statement: The proposed program seeks to reduce these barriers by offering community-based HIV Testing and Counseling services at a trusted youth-focused organization, and through a community-led advocacy campaign for equitable relationships.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh