[Voluntary HIV counseling and testing among peacekeepers in Liberia: acceptability and influential factors]

To investigate the acceptability and influential factors of Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing (VCT) among the Chinese and Ethiopian peacekeepers in Liberia so as to conduct more effective health education of AIDS and enhance the acceptance of VCT.

An anonymous questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes to VCT among 518 Chinese (aged 23-51) and 648 Ethiopian (aged 25-49) peacekeepers in Liberia.

The rates of those who claimed to have never heard of HIV/AIDS were 8.1% and 7.9% in the Chinese and Ethiopian subjects respectively, with no significant differences (P > 0.05) in between. Among those who had heard of HIV/ AIDS, 407 (85.5%) Chinese and 449 (75.2%) Ethiopians expressed their willingness to accept VCT, with a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the two groups. Statistic analysis indicated that the acceptance of VCT was as- sodiated with schooling and knowledge on HIV/AIDS in both groups as well as with the susceptibility to HIV among the Ethiopian subjects.

The acceptability of VCT is obviously lower among those with less schooling and less knowledge of HIV/AIDS. It is important to carry out information-oriented education to increase VCT acceptability among the peacekeepers in the area with a high incidence of AIDS.