Uptake of provider-initiated counselling and testing among tuberculosis suspects, Ethiopia

Twenty-seven health centres in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

To assess the uptake of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among tuberculosis (TB) suspects in Addis Ababa, and to determine reasons for non-acceptance of the test.

From February to March 2009, new TB suspects identified in 27 health centres in Addis Ababa were offered HIV testing. Patients were interviewed by trained nurses using a pretested questionnaire.

Of the 506 TB suspects, 59% were tested for HIV and accepted the test result. Individuals with knowledge about HIV counselling and testing procedures were 2.5 times more likely to be tested than individuals with poor knowledge. TB suspects who had previously been tested for HIV were twice as likely to accept HIV testing and to receive the result of the test (OR = 2.0, 95%CI 1.4-2.9). Government employees (OR = 2.8, 95%CI 1.2-6.3) and merchants (OR = 2.7, 95%CI 1.2-5.7) were more likely to be tested for HIV as compared to jobless individuals.

The TB control programme in Ethiopia should increase its educational efforts among all TB suspects, but especially among jobless individuals, to increase the uptake of HIV testing.