ABSTRACT

Early detection and treatment of infected individuals is an important step in the control of HIV epidemic. Voluntary counselling and testing is a concept developed in this direction. The study was conducted to determine the knowledge and compliance of Ebonyi State University Undergraduates to VCT for HIV/AIDS using a descriptive survey design. The sample consists of 384 full-time undergraduates selected from 3 campuses by simple random sampling. Self structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data generated were analyzed and presented in frequency tables and percentages, chi-square (X2) was used to test the four hypotheses formulated for the study. The findings showed a good level of knowledge of VCT for HIV/AIDS (69.9%) among EBSU students. More knowledge existed among females (36.7%) although not statistically significant. Presco campus students (40.2%) have more knowledge than the other two campuses. All the students claimed to have done HIV test at one time or the other (i.e. did HIV test two times or more at three or six months interval voluntarily) but only 12.1% totally complied to HIV test voluntarily. Half of the respondents (73.4%) did HIV text “by own volition”. Confidentiality (78.7%) was the most important factor that would make EBSU undergraduates use VCT services for HIV test. The study noted that the number of students with good level of knowledge of VCT for HIV/AIDS did not reflect in the compliance level. It was recommended that awareness campaign on routine voluntary HIV test and safe behaviour practices to prevent HIV should be intensified to the public at large. Health care providers should ensure enabling environment that will make young people use VCT services for HIV test.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One: Introduction

Background to the Study

Statement of the Problem

Purpose of the Study 

Specific objectives of the Study

Significance of the Study

Research Hypotheses

Scope of the Study

Operational Definition of Terms

Chapter Two: Literature Review

Mode of Transmission of HIV

Methods of Preventing HIV Spread

Concept of Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV/AIDS

Knowledge of VCT

Concept of Compliance to VCT

Factors Affecting Compliance (VCT)

Theoretical Framework

Conceptual Framework of the Study

Empirical Review

Summary of Reviewed Literature

Chapter Three: RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design

Area of Study

Population for the Study

Sample

Sampling Procedure

Instrument for Data Collection

Validation of the Instrument

Reliability of the Instrument

Ethical Consideration

Procedure for Data Collection

Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF RESULT

Demographic profile of Respondents

Research Question 1

Research Question 2

Research Question 3

Research question 4

Summary of Findings

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Discussion of Major Findings

Summary and Conclusion

Suggestion for further studies

Limitation of the Study

Implication of study

Recommendations 

References

Questionnaire

Appendix I

Appendix II

Appendix III

Appendix IV

Appendix V

Appendix VI

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Demographic profile of respondents

Table 2:Responses on-knowledge of VCT for HIV/AIDS 

Table 3: Responses on knowledge of VCT for HIV/AIDS of male and

female students 

Table4.Responses on knowledge of VCT for HIV/AIDS and 

campus location 

Table 5: Responses on compliance to VCT for HIV/AIDS

Table 6. Responses on compliance to VCT of male and female students

Table 7: Respondents condition for compliance to VCT

services for HIV/AlDS

Table 8: Responses on important factor that would make EBSU  students use

VCT services for HIV/AIDS

Table 9: Chi square (x2) test of relationship of male and female undergraduates

to knowledge of VCT for HIV AIDS

Table10:Chi-square test of relationship of campus location and knowledge

Table11: Chi-square of relationship of male and female and compliance to VCT

for HIV/AIDS

Table12:Chi-square of relationship of campus location and compliance  to HIV test

LIST OF FIGURE

Fig: 1 Conceptual framework adopted from HBM (Rosenstock, 1994) & theory of fear (Rachman, 1990)

Background to the Study
Globally about 70 million people have been infected with HIV virus while 35 million people have died of AIDS and 34million people were living with HIV by the end of 2011(WHO, 2014). An estimate of 0.8% of adults aged 15 – 49 years worldwide are living with HIV with variation in epidemics between countries and regions. Sub-Saharan Africa remains most affected with nearly 1 in every 20 adults living with HIV and accounting for 69% of people living with HIV worldwide (WHO, 2014). In Africa, an estimate of 1.7 million young people is infected annually (WHO /UN Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS, 2006). Many youths engage in risky behaviours, with fewer than 10% of the sexually active adolescent females from countries in sub-Saharan Africa reporting condom use (Human Development Report, 2004). In Nigeria 3.4million people are living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2013).Thus voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for
young people have been recognized as a major priority within the Nigerian HIVprevention programme.