Factors influencing consent to HIV testing among wives of heavy drinkers

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Factors influencing consent to HIV testing among wives of heavy drinkers in an

urban slum in India

Authors: Satyanarayana, Veena1; Chandra, Prabha2; Vaddiparti, Krishna3; Benegal,

Vivek2; Cottler, 1

Source: AIDS Care, Volume 21, Number 5, May 2009 , pp. 615-621(7)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the & Francis Group

Abstract:

The study examined the influence of socio cultural factors, perception of risk

and exposure to violence on consent to HIV testing among at risk women in an

urban slum. Married women chosen via a multistage probability sampling in a

section of Bangalore, India, between 18 and 44 years, sexually active and

considered to be at risk because of their husband's hazardous drinking were

recruited for the study.

Written informed consent was obtained and measures of risk behavior and violence

were administered. Pretest HIV counseling was then conducted and consent for HIV

testing was sought. Factors influencing refusal of and consent to HIV testing

were documented.

Data collected on 100 participants indicated that over half the sample (58%)

refused consent for HIV testing. There were no significant differences between

the groups who consented and those who refused on perception of risk and

exposure to violence.

Reasons women refused testing include the following: spouse/family would not

allow it (40%), believed that they were not at risk or would test negative (29%)

and underwent HIV testing during an earlier pregnancy (21%). Among those who

consented for HIV testing, 79% did so because the testing site was easily

accessible, 67% consented because testing was free and because the importance of

HIV testing was understood.

The findings highlight the role of social, logistic and awareness related

factors in utilizing voluntary counseling and testing services by women in the

slum community. They have important implications for HIV testing, particularly

among at risk monogamous women.

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of

Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA 2: Department of Psychiatry, National

Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India 3:

Department of Psychiatric Social Work, Institute of Human Behavior and Allied

Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi, India