Assessing factors that influence the uptake of youth friendly HIV testing and counselling services in Blantyre district
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Date
2021-03-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Abstract
Type of study
This is a cross-sectional study
Study Problem
Youth Friendly Health services have existed in Malawi since 2007, yet uptake of the HIV Testing and
counselling services among young people in Blantyre district remains suboptimal. For uptake of these
services to improve, a rich understanding is needed of the factors impacting their uptake from the
perspective of young people, youth friendly health personnel, parents and community leaders.
Broad objective
To assess factors that influence uptake of Youth Friendly-HIV Testing and Counselling services in Blantyre
urban
Specific objectives
i. To identify individual specific factors that influence uptake of HTC services in Blantyre urban
ii. To determine health service factors that influence the uptake of HTC services among young people
aged 18-24 in Blantyre urban.
iii. To identify community factors that influence uptake of HTC services among young people aged
18-24 in Blantyre urban
Methodology
Qualitative research methods will be used. It will invove having six focus group discussions with young
people aged 18-24, parents and community leaders, 20 in-depth interviews and 4 key individual interviews
from Ndirande and Chilomoni health facilities in Blantyre urban. The study findings will be analyzed using
thematic framework method whereby codes and themes will be identified in line with study objectives as
well as inductively from the data.
Study constraints
The possible constraints of the study include the refusal of individuals to participate in the study and
inability to meet the required sample size of study participants at study areas.
Expected findings and their dissemination
The study anticipates to discover- Individual, community and health system factors influencing HIV testing
and counselling uptake among young people in Blantyre urban. The study findings will be disseminated to
COMREC and College of Medicine. Copies of research will also be submitted to Ndirande and
Chilomoni health facilities as study sites. The research findings will be published and shared with
different HIV and AIDS stakeholders for policy, strategy review and plans reprogramming.