The effect of conducting workplace Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) on-site on VCT uptake

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) has only fairly recently been recognised asan important entry point to HIV/AIDS prevention and care interventions e.g. entrypoint to accessing services available in a workplace HIV/AIDS managementprogrammes, or prerequisite for other services like prevention of mother to childtransmission (MTCT) programmes. VCT promotes risk assessment and risk reductionstrategies for the individuals that have undergone pre- and post-test counselling. Itprovides benefits for both those that test HIV positive and those that test negative.This research study is based on VCT that is provided as part of a comprehensiveworkplace HIV/AIDS management programme. The success of VCT has highlightedthe need for other care and support services for both the tested and the counsellors.With specific reference to the Alexander Forbes Direct Aids Intervention (DAI)programme, which was specially designed to assist companies manage and mitigatethe impact and risk of HIV/AIDS on their workforce, VCT was initially only doneoff-site i.e. at doctors` rooms or pathology laboratories.The DAI VCT uptake remained unsatisfactorily low in the first year and six monthspost-inception of the programme, the need for the VCT strategy modification wasacknowledged. VCT-on-site days (on the company premises) were scheduled andimplemented at a number of companies that are on the DAI programme. The aim ofthis research study is to look at the possible advantageous effect of conductingworkplace VCT-on-site on VCT uptake and the appropriate design for thisinvestigation is the Before-After design.In the sampling, two experimental (E1, E2) and two control (C1, C2) groups are usedto test the null hypothesis. E1 is a total of 600 employees from an IT company, andC1 is a total of about 600 employees from a pharmaceutical company. E2 and C2 bothhave populations of about 3000 employees. E2 is a cellular network service providerwhilst C2 is a financial service company.VCT-on-site implementation was introduced at E1 and E2. For E1, VCT-on-site wasconducted in May, November, December 2003, and March 2004 respectively, with noVCT-on-site conducted at C1. For E2, VCT-on-site was offered on monthly basisfrom June 2003 to April 2004 excluding January 2004, and none offered at C2. VCToff-site was available to all groups throughout the entire study period. Data wascollected for a period of 12 months viz. from May 2003 to April 2004, in allcompanies.The statistical technique used was Chi Square(Shavelson, 1988) for both sets ofexperimental/control groups of 600 and 3000 respectively. The hypothesis was testedand there was a significant increase in VCT uptake after introducing workplace VCTon-site. The increase is as a result of the awareness raised through information imparted, the convenience, availability, and accessibility of the VCT services.The conclusion of the study based on the data presented is that workplace VCT-onsitewell planned and properly executed undoubtedly increases the VCT uptake. Ahypothesis for future further studies has been developed.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University