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Voluntary Counseling and Testing and Prevalence of HIV Infection Amongst Patients Booked for Surgical Operations
Abstract
The effectiveness (yield) of lay counseling in HIV testing by resident doctors who have not been trained in voluntary counseling and testing and the prevalence of HIV infection among the 145 counseled patients booked for elective surgery were studied. In this study, those who consented to the test are the study group and the non-consenting as the control group.
Thirty-one (21.4%) of the patients (study group) consented to the test. Two (6.5%) of the study group were HIV I positive and both had had one induced abortion, but without history of blood transfusion.
The mean-age of the study group was 38 ± 10.3 years and the control was 33.3±9.9 years and the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.50). The mean parity of the study and the control groups were 3.0±2.4 and 2.4±1.9 respectively and without significant difference (p<0.20).
History of blood transfusion was confirmed by 3(9.7%) of the study group and 18(15.8%) of the control. The mean number of induced abortion in the study and control groups were 0.7 ±1.2 and 0.5±1.2 respectively and the difference was not significant (p<0-50).
Voluntary counseling and testing yield is low in this study despite the high prevalent rate of HIV Infection (6.5%) among the study population.
There is need to train all health workers in Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) so as to increase the number patients and individuals consenting to the test. Induced abortion may be a risk factor in HIV infection in this environment.
Key Words: VCT, HIV Surgical Operations, Acceptability, Sagamu.
Nig. Medical Practitioner Vol. 45(3) 2004: 41-43
Thirty-one (21.4%) of the patients (study group) consented to the test. Two (6.5%) of the study group were HIV I positive and both had had one induced abortion, but without history of blood transfusion.
The mean-age of the study group was 38 ± 10.3 years and the control was 33.3±9.9 years and the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.50). The mean parity of the study and the control groups were 3.0±2.4 and 2.4±1.9 respectively and without significant difference (p<0.20).
History of blood transfusion was confirmed by 3(9.7%) of the study group and 18(15.8%) of the control. The mean number of induced abortion in the study and control groups were 0.7 ±1.2 and 0.5±1.2 respectively and the difference was not significant (p<0-50).
Voluntary counseling and testing yield is low in this study despite the high prevalent rate of HIV Infection (6.5%) among the study population.
There is need to train all health workers in Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) so as to increase the number patients and individuals consenting to the test. Induced abortion may be a risk factor in HIV infection in this environment.
Key Words: VCT, HIV Surgical Operations, Acceptability, Sagamu.
Nig. Medical Practitioner Vol. 45(3) 2004: 41-43
