BACKGROUND: VCT is a key component of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control interventions in Ethiopia. However, very little is known about the profile and HIV prevalence among VCT clients, in Burie, west Gojjam. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess sero-prevalence of HIV infection among VCT clients and to describe their socio-demographic profile. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data taken from VCT clients' records in Burie health center, west Gojjam, Ethiopia from September 1, 2006 to January 30, 2007 was done using SPSS software version 13. RESULTS: Among 989 VCT clients, 133 (13.4%) were HIV sero-positive of whom 75 (56.4%) were females which was strongly associated (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.15-2.41, p = 0.007) with HIV sero-positivity. HIV infection was higher in those individuals who have got married (OR 2.83, 95%CI 1.70-4.71, p<0.001) and coupled before marriage (OR 3.88, 95%CI 2.47-6.09, p<0.001). Prevalence of HIV was found to be higher in employed (OR 2.80, 95%CI 1.54-5.09, p<0.001), daily labors (OR 5.14, 95%CI 2.96-8.95, p<0.001), and house wives (OR 8.34, 95%CI 3.98-17.48, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: We found higher sero-positivity rate of HIV in the setting and this VCT based report will be highly useful for further operation and initiation of the community to have voluntary counseling and testing in the region. We also recommended that sentinel based surveillance since client initiated VCT data may not be appropriate for better monitoring HIV epidemics.
BACKGROUND: VCT is a key component of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control interventions in Ethiopia. However, very little is known about the profile and HIV prevalence among VCT clients, in Burie, west Gojjam. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess sero-prevalence of HIV infection among VCT clients and to describe their socio-demographic profile. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data taken from VCT clients' records in Burie health center, west Gojjam, Ethiopia from September 1, 2006 to January 30, 2007 was done using SPSS software version 13. RESULTS: Among 989 VCT clients, 133 (13.4%) were HIV sero-positive of whom 75 (56.4%) were females which was strongly associated (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.15-2.41, p = 0.007) with HIV sero-positivity. HIV infection was higher in those individuals who have got married (OR 2.83, 95%CI 1.70-4.71, p<0.001) and coupled before marriage (OR 3.88, 95%CI 2.47-6.09, p<0.001). Prevalence of HIV was found to be higher in employed (OR 2.80, 95%CI 1.54-5.09, p<0.001), daily labors (OR 5.14, 95%CI 2.96-8.95, p<0.001), and house wives (OR 8.34, 95%CI 3.98-17.48, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: We found higher sero-positivity rate of HIV in the setting and this VCT based report will be highly useful for further operation and initiation of the community to have voluntary counseling and testing in the region. We also recommended that sentinel based surveillance since client initiated VCT data may not be appropriate for better monitoring HIV epidemics.