Willingness to use HIV self-test kits in Winneba, Ghana

Authors

  • Joe Mensah Department of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, Central Region, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-2156.IntJSciRep20233867

Keywords:

HIV, HIV/AIDS, HIVST, HIVST kits, Willingness

Abstract

Over the years, many successive governments of Ghana have been making efforts to minimise the transmission of HIV in the country through its agencies such as the Ghana health service and the Ghana AIDS Commission. In an attempt to continue to bring the transmission of HIV under control, the government of Ghana in July 2023, launched the HIV self-test (HIVST) kits for use. However, like new health products such as COVID-19 vaccines, there is a tendency of hesitancy to their use in the country. Using the case study design in connection with the purposive sampling technique, the study sampled 12 participants in Winneba, Ghana and data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that majority of the people were aware of the HIVST kits in the country with another indicating that the HIVST kits are yet to be made available in communities. Women were found to be more willing to use the HIVST kits than other population groups. Accessing the HIVST kits on the other hand was met with scarcity and participants identified the pharmacy to be the best place to access the HIVST kits. It is recommended that the municipal health directorate and the Ghana AIDS commission should collaborate to intensify education and publicity on the availability and use of the HIVST kits. Additionally, in order to prevent unforeseen shocks, there is a need for the pharmaceutical society of Ghana to train and equip its members to offer counselling services to users of the HIVST kits.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

World Health Organization. HIV and AIDS (Key Facts). Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids. Accessed on 19 August, 2023.

Adal O, Abebe A, Ayele, T. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) post-exposure prophylaxis among healthcare workers of governmental hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Infect Prevent Pract. 2023;5(2):100270.

Adams, SO, Haruna, YU, Mohammed, T. Cluster Analysis of HIV/AIDs incidence in sub-Saharan Africa (1990–2018). I J Epidemiol Heal Sci. 2023;4(5):1-11.

Ajayi, AI, Awopegba, OE, Adeagbo, OA, Ushie, BA. Low coverage of HIV testing among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria: Implication for achieving the UNAIDS first 95. Plos one. 2020;15(5):e0233368.

Obeagu EI, Obeagu GU, Musiimenta E, Bot YS, Hassan AO. Factors contributing to low utilization of HIV counseling and testing services. Int J Curr Res Med Sci. 2023;9(2):1-5.

World Health Organization. HIV testing services. Available at. https://www.who.int/teams/global-hiv-hepatitis-and-stis-programmes/hiv/testing-diagnostics/hiv-testing-services. Accessed on 19th August, 2023).

World Health Organization. WHO recommends HIV self-testing-evidence update and considerations for success. Available at https://www.who.int/ publications/i/item/WHO-CDS-HIV-19.36. Accessed on 20 August, 2023.

Ingold H, Mwerinde O, Ross AL, Leach R, Corbett EL, Hatzold K, Johnson CC, Ncube G, Nyirenda R, Baggaley RC. The Self‐Testing Africa (StAR) initiative: accelerating global access and scale‐up of HIV self‐testing. J Int AIDS Society. 2019;22:e25249.

Ghana Health Service. Ghana Introduces HIVST kit to augment routine HIV screening. Available at:

https://ghs.gov.gh/2023/07/24/ghana-introduces-hiv-self-test-kit-to-augment-routine-hiv-screening/. Accessed on 20 August, 2023.

Lohiniva AL, Nurzhynska A, Alhassan H, Shetye M, Ayiku P. Understanding Factors Influencing Polio Vaccine Uptake in Ghana-Developing Meaningful Community Mobilization and Engagement Strategies in Collaboration with Religious Leaders. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2022;107(6):1345.

Alhassan RK, Aberese-Ako M, Doegah PT, Immurana M, Dalaba MA, Manyeh AK et al. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the adult population in Ghana: evidence from a pre-vaccination rollout survey. Tropical Med Heal. 2021;49(1):1-3.

Yirenkyi SM. Encouraging girl–child formal education: The Winneba Zongo Theatre for Development (TFD) Initiative. Am J Multidisciplinary Res Development. 2020;2(4):01-14.

Yelkpieri D, Namale M, Esia-Donkoh K, Ofosu-Dwamena E. Effects of Large Class Size on Effective Teaching and Learning at the Winneba Campus of the UEW (University of Education, Winneba), Ghana. Online Submission. 2012.

Hagan GP. Marriage, divorce and polygyny in Winneba. In Female and male in West Africa. Routledge. 2023;192-206.

Ankrah J. Climate change impacts and coastal livelihoods; an analysis of fishers of coastal Winneba, Ghana. Ocean Coastal Management. 2018;161:141-6.

Kloku CA. Awareness and prevention of cervical cancer among female health professionals: A study of three health institutions in Winneba, Ghana. Doctoral dissertation. 2015.

Akunor-Sackey RJ. The effect of nutritional knowledge and dietary practices on childbirth weight: The case of adolescents mothers in the Effutu municipality, Winneba Ghana. Int J Home Sci. 2022;8(1):270-7.

Ohene-Amoh C. Implications of Patients’ Rights Violations at the Hospital; a study of Winneba Government Hospital, Ghana. Public Policy Administration Res. 2015;5(8):142-51.

World Population Review. Population of Cities in Ghana. Available at: https://worldpopulationreview. com/countries/cities/ghana. Accessed on 4 September, 2023.

Heale R, Twycross A. What is a case study? Evidence-Based Nurs. 2018;21(1):7-8.

Ba DM, Ssentongo P, Sznajder KK. Prevalence, behavioral and socioeconomic factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus in Ghana: a population-based cross-sectional study. J Glob Heal Rep. 2019;3:e2019092.

Njau B. A theory-based behaviour change intervention to increase HIV self-testing uptake and linkage to HIV prevention, care and treatment for hard to reach populations in Northern Tanzania. Tanzania J Heal Res. 2023;24(2):121-37.

Nakalega R, Mukiza N, Menge R, Kizito S, Babirye JA, Kuteesa CN et al. Feasibility and acceptability of peer-delivered HIV self-testing and PrEP for young women in Kampala, Uganda. BMC Publ Heal. 2023;23(1):1163.

Bowman R, Nadal C, Morrissey K, Thieme A, Doherty G. Using Thematic Analysis in Healthcare HCI at CHI: A Scoping Review. In Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2023;1-18.

Demuyakor J. Opportunities and challenges of digital media: A comprehensive literature review of Ghana. Electronic Res J Social Sci Humanities. 2020;2(II):1-7.

Raza, O. Top 10 most common health issues. Available at: https://urgentway.com/top-10-most-common-health-issues/#:~:text=The%20most%20 common%20health%20issues,keep%20you%20free%20from%20diseases. Accessed on 13 September, 2023.

Pettifor A, Lippman SA, Kimaru L, Haber N, Mayakayaka Z, Selin A et al. HIV self-testing among young women in rural South Africa: A randomized controlled trial comparing clinic-based HIV testing to the choice of either clinic testing or HIV self-testing with secondary distribution to peers and partners. E Clin Med. 2020;21.

Dirisu O, Sekoni A, Vu L, Adebajo S, Njab J, Shoyemi E et al. ‘I will welcome this one 101%, I will so embrace it’: a qualitative exploration of the feasibility and acceptability of HIV self-testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Lagos, Nigeria. Heal Educ Res. 2020;35(6):524-37.

Obiezu-Umeh C, Gbajabiamila T, Ezechi O, Nwaozuru U, Ong JJ, Idigbe I et al. Young people’s preferences for HIV self-testing services in Nigeria: a qualitative analysis. BMC Publ Heal. 2021;21(1):1-9.

World Health Organization. Access to medicines and health products. Available at: https://www.who.int/our-work/access-to-medicines-and-health-products. Accessed on 13 September, 2023.

Olakunde BO, Alemu D, Conserve DF, Mathai M, Mak’anyengo MO, NAHEDO Study Group et al. Awareness of and willingness to use oral HIV self-test kits among Kenyan young adults living in informal urban settlements: a cross-sectional survey. AIDS Care. 2023;35(9):1259-69.

Mavodza CV, Mackworth‐Young CR, Bandason T, Dauya E, Chikwari CD, Tembo M, Apollo T, Ncube G, Kranzer K, Ferrand RA, Bernays S. When healthcare providers are supportive, ‘I'd rather not test alone’: Exploring uptake and acceptability of HIV self‐testing for youth in Zimbabwe–A mixed method study. J Int AIDS Society. 2021;24(9):e25815.

Doat AR, Navab E, Sadat Hoseini AS. Lived experiences of adolescent living with human immunodeficiency virus in Ghana: A phenomenology study. Nursing Open. 2021;8(1):299-307.

Downloads

Published

2023-12-22

Issue

Section

Short Communication