Determining adolescents perception of voluntary counselling and testing of HIV at Libala and David kaunda high schools in Lusaka urban.

Abstract

This study was carried out in order to determine adolescents' perception towards HIV voluntary counseling and testing in Lusaka urban with an aim of encouraging the adolescents to go for voluntary counseling and testing in order to prevent HIV spread and promote behavior change. The literature reviewed was from studies done in Zambia, Africa and other countries around the world on knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescents towards HIV VCT and other related literature. The study sites were two high schools in Lusaka urban that is, Libala and David Kaunda. Both schools are co-education and they were selected using purposive sampling technique. The study was conducted from June 2002 to January 2003. The sample consisted of sixty (60) respondents and these were selected using simple random sampling technique. Data was collected by use of a self-administered questionnaire from 9th to 23rd September over a period of two weeks. The findings revealed that 88% of adolescents had high knowledge of HIV/AIDS and voluntary counselling and testing while 12% had medium knowledge. Fifty-three (53%) percent of the respondents had a negative perception towards HIV VCT and 54% of these were aged 15-20 years. The findings also revealed that only 10% of the respondents had received voluntary counselling and had done an HIV test.