Acceptability of voluntary counselling and testing among medical students in Jos, Nigeria

Various preventive strategies have been employed to curb the spread of HIV infection as there is presently no cure. Abstinence, avoidance of multiple sexual partners, condom use, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and treatment of HIV-infected individuals form the cornerstone of HIV prevention. This study assessed the acceptability of VCT among medical students in a single institution in Nigeria

Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to clinical medical students of the University of Jos in a cross-sectional study.

Out of a total of 368 students surveyed, 178 (50.7%) have had VCT. There was no significant difference between the proportion of males and females who had had VCT previously (48.9% of males and 56.3% of females; chi(2) = 1.65, OR = 0.76 95% CI: 0.46-1.20; p = 0.19). The majority of the respondents (83.1%) would want to have VCT. Fear of a positive test result was the main reason given by those who would be unwilling to be tested. Gender had no effect on the willingness of the subjects to have VCT as 81.8% of males and 87.1% of females were predisposed to it (chi(2) = 1.95; OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.31-1.26). VCT acceptability was similar among sexually active and inactive respondents (80.2% and 80.2% respectively; chi(2) = 0.018, p = 0.99).

Awareness of VCT services and acceptability of VCT among medical students is high. These students can be role models for the optimization of VCT services.