Ssebunya et al.

BMC Public Health (2018) 18:612

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5544-0

RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access

Prevalence and correlates of HIV testing

among adolescents 10–19 years in a
post-conflict pastoralist community
of Karamoja region, Uganda
Rogers N. Ssebunya1* , Rhoda K. Wanyenze2, Leticia Namale1, Heather Lukolyo1, Grace P. Kisitu1,
Patricia Nahirya-Ntege1 and Adeodata Kekitiinwa1

Abstract
Background: Adolescents are a priority group in HIV prevention and treatment. This study sought to determine the
prevalence and correlates of HIV testing services (HTS) among adolescents in the pastoralist post-conflict area of
Karamoja sub region, Uganda.
Methods: A cross sectional study of 1439 adolescents aged 10–19 years, attending nine public health facilities in
five of the seven districts of Karamoja, was conducted between August to September 2016. Adolescents were
consecutively selected and interviewed using structured interviewer administered questionnaires. All respondents
who had never tested for HIV were offered HTS. The main outcome was ever tested for HIV. Correlates of ever
tested were analysed using multivariate logistic regression model.
Results: Of the 1439 adolescents, 904 (62.8%) were females, 1203 (83.6%) were aged 15–19 years, 618 (43.0%) had
attained primary education and 885 (61.5%) had ever had sex. Overall 1177 (81.8%) had ever tested and received HIV
results. Older age (15–19 years) (adj.OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.85–3.96), secondary level education or higher (adj.OR = 2.33,
95% CI: 1.33–4.10), and ever had sex (adj.OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.42–2.90) were associated with higher odds of HIV testing.
Of the 262 who had never tested, 169 (64.5%) accepted testing and 2.4% were HIV positive. Reasons for not accepting
the test included fear of being tested and not ready for an HIV test because of perceived suffering HIV positive clients
go through.
Conclusion: Awareness of HIV status and uptake of HTS among adolescents in this hard-to-reach post-conflict region
was high and close to the global UNAIDS target of 90%. However, the HIV prevalence of 2.4% among the non-testers
who accepted to be tested was high and emphasises the need for targeted testing to reach the undiagnosed HIV
infected adolescents in this region.
Keywords: Adolescents, HIV, HIV testing services, Uganda, Pastoralist communities

* Correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected]

1
Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation, Mulago Hospital
Complex, P.O. Box 72052, Clock Tower, Kampala, Uganda
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article

© The Author(s). 2018 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to
the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver
(http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
Ssebunya et al. BMC Public Health (2018) 18:612 Page 2 of 8

Background the studies that have elicited HTS uptake in post conflict
Adolescents and young people are a critical focus popu- communities in Uganda were among a small sample of
lation in HIV prevention and treatment and particularly youths 15–35 years [21], among children and adoles-
important in the attainment of the global targets towards cents (0-18 years) receiving mental health care services
elimination of HIV/AIDS by 2030. According to the [22], and among refugees ≥20 years [23]. In a survey
2016 UNICEF data, 670,000 out of 2.1 million (31.9%) conducted in 2016 in Karamoja, HTS uptake among
new infections by 2015 were among young people aged young people was 61.7% [24], however, the determinants
15–24 years— these included 250,000 infections among of uptake were not highlighted. Additionally an under-
adolescents 15–19 years [1, 2]. New HIV infections standing of the influence of contextual issues on HTS
among adolescents in sub Saharan Africa are not declin- uptake for example; cultural transitions from isolation
ing as quickly as among other age groups [3]. Adolescent and fear from cattle raids to stability, urbanisation, and
females and young women aged 15–24 years are at a increased HIV/AIDS awareness provides an impetus for
higher risk of HIV infection, contributing 25% of all new this study. The study therefore aimed to determine the
infections among adults in sub-Saharan Africa in 2015 prevalence and correlates of HIV testing among adoles-
[4]. Similar trends have been documented regarding cents 10–19 years receiving primary health care services
AIDS-related mortality especially in sub-Saharan Africa in a pastoralist and post-conflict region of Karamoja in
where access to HIV testing, care and treatment services Uganda. Adolescents who had never tested were offered
by young people is still a challenge [2, 3]. Every hour, 26 HTS and the uptake as well as the reasons for refusal to
adolescents get infected, with close to 2 million living test documented.
with HIV worldwide. This is compounded by low HIV-
related knowledge—only 26% of the girls and 32% of the Methods
boys 15–19 years in sub-Saharan Africa know how HIV Study setting and population
is transmitted and how it can be prevented [5]. Adoles- Karamoja sub-region is located in the north eastern part
cents in hard to reach post-conflict and pastoralist com- of Uganda and is occupied by a pastoralist community
munities where access to health care services including that is dependent on animals for survival and security.
HIV testing services is limited are probably more In this setting, males do much of the animal rearing
disadvantaged. Such settings have also been linked to while females do the housework. This society has over
increased vulnerability to HIV and high-risk sexual the years had conflicts with other tribal neighbourhoods
behaviours [6–9]. fighting for land, water and animals, a practice that has
Prevention of HIV transmission and acquisition of recent stabilised when the government initiated a dis-
among adolescents amidst multiple challenges including armament program and provided other logistical and
peer pressure, sense of invincibility and physiological humanitarian support in terms of food, shelter, health
changes calls for multi-dimensional interventions. HIV care and education. According to the 2011 Uganda AIDS
testing is a window for all HIV related care and treat- indicator survey, general population HIV prevalence in
ment services and an essential step in achieving “the Karamoja was 3.5% [25]—prevalence among female ado-
UNAIDS 90–90-90 targets”. However, globally only 35% lescents 15–24 years was 3.5% compared to 2.6% in their
of young people were aware of their HIV status in 2015 male peers [26]. The UNICEF annual report of 2013
[10]. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 13% of the female and showed Karamoja lagging behind compared to western
9% of the male adolescents had ever tested for HIV and Uganda and Acholi regions regarding access to HTS and
received their results in the last 12 months [1]. antiretroviral therapy (ART) for prevention of mother to
Awareness of HIV status and uptake of HIV Testing child transmission (PMTCT) [27].
Services (HTS) varies considerably across different set-
tings [11–13]. In a study in Malawi, HTS uptake ranged Study design, sample size and sampling
from 16.9% among the poor to 25.4% among individuals This was a cross-sectional survey involving 1439 adoles-
in the higher wealth quartile [14] while elsewhere uptake cents (10–19 years) receiving primary health care ser-
ranged from 27% to over 76.5% [15–18]. In Uganda, vices at the outpatient department (OPD) and maternal
overall uptake of HTS among adolescents is less than child health (MCH) clinics at public health facilities be-
20%, however the reasons behind this low uptake are tween August to September 2016. Bennett’s sample size
not well documented. Determinants of HTS uptake in- formula [28] was used considering health facilities as the
clude age, education level, and willingness to disclose clusters and expected daily number of adolescents at-
HIV results [19, 20]. Despite the variability in testing tending the facilities estimated at 140. Since the coverage
coverage, there is limited documentation of HIV preva- of HIV testing among adolescents in this region was not
lence and uptake of HTS among adolescents 10–19 years known at the time of planning this study, a conservative
in remote, pastoralist, or post-conflict settings. A few of prevalence of 50% and a design effect of 2.0 were used
Ssebunya et al. BMC Public Health (2018) 18:612 Page 3 of 8

to yield a minimum sample size of 1375 participants among those who had never tested were also coded and
from nine clusters. The highest volume facilities within entered into the database. Clean data was exported to
the region—facilities that contributed 80% of all OPD Stata statistical software version 13.0 for analysis.
attendance for adolescents in the previous year were
sampled. The 80% mark was chosen to allow adequate Variables measurements
representation of the districts and facilities within the re- Data collected included; adolescents’ socio-demographic
gion to be included in the study. The 9 facilities were lo- characteristics, HIV testing and receipt of results, know-
cated in five of the seven districts in the sub-region. The ledge of HIV prevention and transmission, knowledge of
number of adolescents to be interviewed at each of these partner’s HIV status, engagement in high-risk sexual be-
nine facilities was then determined using probability haviours, history of having children, ever had sex, and
proportional to size (PPS), based on the numbers of use of substances or drugs. The main outcome in this
adolescents who sought HTS in the prior quarter study was “ever tested” for HIV which was coded as 1
(April–June 2016) before data collection. Within each for “Yes” and 0 for “No”. Independent variables included;
facility, adolescents were consecutively sampled until the socio-demographic characteristics like sex, age group,
required number per facility was obtained. All adoles- marital status, HIV knowledge (Yes = 1, No = 0), en-
cents were approached for participation irrespective of gaging in high-risk sexual behaviours (Yes = 1, No = 0),
their reason for coming to the facility. and use of drugs or other illicit substances (Yes = 1,
No = 0). Sex was coded as (Female = 1, Male = 0), Age
Data collection procedures group coded as (15–19 years = 1 and 10-14 years = 0), Ever
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from Makerere had sex coded as (Yes = 1, No = 0), Education level coded
University School of Biomedical Sciences Higher Degree as (Nursery = 0, Primary = 1, ≥ secondary = 2). During test-
Research and Ethics Committee (SBSREC) and the Uganda ing for significant covariates; marital status was coded as;
National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) Never married = 0, Married/Cohabiting = 1 and Divorced/
before data collection. Additionally, permission was sought Separated = 2. HIV sero-status of their most recent partner
from district and health facility heads. After the selection, was coded as (Yes = 1, No = 0), while the number of chil-
adolescents were screened for eligibility. Written informed dren was coded as (None = 0, 1–3 = 1). The HIV know-
parental or guardian consent and assent were obtained ledge score was based on an aggregate score obtained by
from adolescents < 18 years while those ≥18 years using a KQ-18 HIV questionnaire [29] modified to suit
consented before enrolment into the study. Adoles- the cultural context for the study population. In line with
cents < 18 years who came to these facilities without a other literature that considered mean and median scores
guardian or parent were advised to come back with a for cut-off scores [30], participants in our study who
parent/guardian who could consent on their behalf. scored above or equal to the median score of 11 were con-
Parents/guardians and the adolescents were informed that sidered to have adequate HIV knowledge. Adolescents
the study included an assessment of knowledge and access were considered to have engaged in high-risk sexual
to HIV services and that some would be offered an HIV behaviours if they inconsistently used a condom and
test and tested if they accepted to do so. Respondents either had multiple sexual partners (two or more sexual
were interviewed by trained research assistants using partners) or having engaged in transactional sex in the last
semi-structure questionnaires and a modified HIV know- 6 months.
ledge tool. All respondents were asked if they had ever
tested for HIV and received their results. Those who had Statistical analysis
never tested where asked if they would like to be tested Descriptive statistics for ever tested were presented as
for HIV. Those who accepted were linked to the HTS sites frequencies and percentages. A chi-square test was used
within the health facilities. to elicit associations between individual characteristics
Based on the institutional policies, all research assis- with HIV testing. Odds ratios were generated using a
tants signed a confidentiality agreement before data col- multivariate logistic regression model to elicit associa-
lection to ensure confidentiality of respondent’s results. tions with HIV testing. We adjusted for a number of
Those who refused to test for HIV were asked for the variables to include; sex of the adolescent, highest level
reasons, and these were documented through open of education attained, ever had sex, HIV knowledge,
ended questions. All questionnaires were checked by number of children the adolescent has ever had, know-
field supervisors, for quality control. On a daily basis, ing the HIV status of their sexual partners and high-risk
the completed questionnaires were collected by a re- sexual behaviours. We excluded marital status as an in-
gional supervisor who kept them locked in an office. dependent variable in the final model because of poten-
Data was entered into an access database, cleaned from tial multi-collinearity with “ever had sex”. Variables with
spreadsheets. The reasons for refusal to test for HIV a p-value of 0.2 and below at bivariate analysis were
Ssebunya et al. BMC Public Health (2018) 18:612 Page 4 of 8

entered into the multivariate models. Model parsimony had ever tested for HIV and received results by the time
was ensured by using the backward stepwise modelling of the interview, of whom nine (0.8%) were positive.
and the likelihood ratio test between the full and re- Of the 262 adolescents who had never tested for HIV, 169
stricted models. The model that yielded the highest vari- (64.5%) accepted testing, of whom four (2.4%) were HIV
ability in explaining the predicted variable (ever tested) positive. Thus overall, 13 of the 1346 adolescents who
was considered as the best fit. All analyses were con- tested (1.0%) were HIV positive. Figure 1 shows key rea-
ducted using STATA v.13 (College Station, TX). sons why adolescents who had never tested refused to
test. Among the 93 adolescents who declined testing,
Results for the largest percentage (n = 25, 36.2%) did not offer
Baseline characteristics of study respondents any specific reason—they just did not want to test. Others
Overall, 1481 adolescents were approached for participa- feared testing (n = 17, 24.6%) and perceived testing to be
tion and 1443 (97.4%) were enrolled—four had incom- painful (n = 7, 7.3%) or did not feel ready for the test
plete data for key variables including the outcome (n = 13, 18.8%). Of the 71 sexually active adolescents who
variable and were excluded from analysis. Demographic declined an HIV test, only 2 (2.8%) had engaged in high-
and baseline characteristics of study respondents are risk sexual behaviors. A small proportion (1.4%) of adoles-
summarized in Table 1. The majority of adolescents cents reported to have ever used drugs or substances like
(904, 62.8%) were females, aged 15–19 years (1203, 83.6%) marijuana, kuber and tobacco smoking.
and were married or cohabiting (526, 36.6%). The median
age of study participants was 18.0 (iqr = 3) for both males Adolescent characteristics by HIV testing status
and females. More than half of the adolescents (737, 51.2%) Results in Table 2 show that a much higher percentage
were in school and nearly 82% (1177) of the adolescents of older adolescents 15–19 years (1051, 89.3%) ever
tested for HIV and received results compared to their
Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study respondents younger counterparts (126, 10.7%). Results further indi-
Variable, N = 1439 N Percent (%) cate that equal proportions (49.3% vs 50.7%) had ever
Age 10–14 236 16.4 tested for HIV among those with and without adequate
15–19 1203 83.6 HIV knowledge. A stratified analysis among sexually ac-
Sex Males 535 37.2 tive adolescents (n = 885), 85 (9.6%) had never been
tested for HIV. Additionally, of the 301 adolescents who
Females 904 62.8
never knew the sero-status of their most recent sexual
Marital status Never married 901 62.6
partners, 60 (19.9%) had never tested for HIV. Of the
Married/cohabiting 526 36.6 101 adolescents who engaged in high-risk sexual behav-
Divorced/Separated 12 0.8 iours, 15 (14.9%) had never tested for HIV.
Highest level No education & 354 24.6
of education Nursery/ECD Correlates for ever tested among adolescents
Primary/ABEK a
618 43.0 Table 3 highlights three statistically significant associations
≥ Secondary 467 32.5 with HIV testing among adolescents i.e. age of the adoles-
Occupation Student/Pupil 737 51.2
cent, level of education and ever had sex. Older adolescents
aged 15–19 years had higher odds (adj.OR = 2.71, 95%
Cattle keeper 83 5.8
CI: 1.85, 3.96) of HIV testing compared to their younger
Other & None 619 43.0 counterparts aged 10–14 years. Attaining secondary or
Ever had children None 1079 75.0 higher level of education was associated with increased odds
1–3 children 360 25.0 of HIV testing compared to those who had no education at
Ever tested for HIV Yes 1177 81.8 all; (adj.OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.33, 4.10). Additionally adoles-
No 262 18.2
cents who had ever had sex were more likely to have been
tested compared to those that had never; (adj.OR = 2.03,
Uptake of HTS, Yes 169 64.5
n = 262 95% CI: 1.42, 2.90). Further still, having adequate level of
HIV knowledge, sex, and the parity of the adolescents i.e.
No 93 35.5
whether they have ever had children or not, and engage-
HIV prevalence Positive 4 2.4
ment in high-risk sexual behaviours were not statistically
Negative 165 97.6 significant contributors to ever been tested for HIV.
Use of drugs/ Yes 20 1.4
Substances Discussion
No 1419 98.6 This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the preva-
ABEK Alternative Basic Education for Karamoja, ECD Early Childhood Development
a
lence and correlates of HIV testing among adolescents
Ssebunya et al. BMC Public Health (2018) 18:612 Page 5 of 8

Reasons for declining uptake of HTS among

adolescents
40
36.2
35

30
24.6
Percentages

25
18.9
20

15 13

10 7.3

0
Don’t want to Fear of testing Not ready of the Testing is Others
test for HIV test painful
Reasons for not testing
Fig. 1 Reasons for declining taking an HIV test among adolescents 10–19 years

in a post-conflict, pastoralist setting. Over 80% of the prevalence among young males 15–24 years (1.9%)
adolescents had ever tested prior to the survey, close to and females (3.8%) [31]. However, among those who
the UNAIDS 90% target. Overall HIV prevalence had previously not tested, the prevalence was 2.4%—
among adolescents who tested before and during the although these numbers were small, this highlights
study was 1.0% – which is lower than the national HIV the need for targeted adolescent services to reach the

Table 2 Relationship between HIV testing and individual characteristics of adolescents

Variable Ever tested p-value
Yes, n = 1177 No, n = 262
Sex Male 414 (35.2) 121 (46.2) 0.001*
Female 763 (64.8) 141 (53.8)
Age group 10–14 126 (10.7) 110 (42.0) 0.001*
15–19 1051 (89.3) 152 (58.0)
Adequate HIV knowledge Yes 580 (49.3) 91 (34.7) 0.001*
No 597 (50.7) 171 (65.3)
Education status No Education/Nursery 288 (24.5) 66 (25.2) 0.001*
Primary/ECD 466 (39.6) 152 (58.0)
≥ Secondary 423 (35.9) 44 (16.8)
Ever had sex No 377 (32.0) 177 (67.6) 0.001*
Yes 800 (68.0) 85 (32.4)
Use of drugs or substances No 1158 (98.4) 261 (99.6) 0.123
Yes 19 (1.6) 1 (0.4)
Knows partners sero-statusa Yes 559 (69.9) 25 (29.4) 0.001*
No 241 (30.1) 60 (70.6)
High-risk sexual behavioursa Yes 86 (10.8) 15 (17.7) 0.057
No 714 (89.2) 70 (82.3)
a
Among those who have ever had sex (n = 885)
*significance at p < 0.05
Ssebunya et al. BMC Public Health (2018) 18:612 Page 6 of 8

Table 3 Correlates of Ever tested for HIV among study respondents

Variable Ever tested, n = 1177 Percent (%) Unadj.OR 95% CI adj.OR 95% CI p-value
Sex Male 414 35.2 1.0 (ref)
Female 763 64.8 1.58 1.21–2.07 1.23 0.89–1.71 0.217
Age group 10–14 126 10.7 1.0 (ref)
15–19 1051 89.3 6.04 4.44–8.21 2.71 1.85–3.96 0.001*
Adequate HIV knowledge No 597 50.7 1.0 (ref)
Yes 580 49.3 1.83 1.38–2.41 1.33 0.98–1.81 0.07
Education status No Education/ Nursery 288 24.5 1.0 (ref)
Primary/ ECD 466 39.6 0.70 0.51–0.97 1.14 0.91–2.20 0.126
≥ Secondary 423 35.9 2.20 1.46–3.32 2.33 1.33–4.10 0.003*
Ever had Sex No 377 32.0 1.0 (ref)
Yes 800 68.0 4.42 3.32–5.88 2.03 1.42–2.90 0.001*
Use of drugs or substances No 1158 98.4 1.0 (ref)
Yes 19 1.6 4.28 0.57–32.1 2.19 0.27–17.4 0.460
*Significance at p < 0.05

remaining undiagnosed HIV infections as we ap- exposure or prior to sexual encounters. Evidence shows
proach the first 90% target. a higher likelihood of HIV testing among individuals
Our study shows much higher HIV testing among ad- who have been exposed to risk behaviors including
olescents than the 2016 Uganda demographic health sur- unprotected sexual encounters and sexually transmit-
vey (UDHS) [32] and in other studies elsewhere [21, 33]. ted infections [38–40]. This finding also underscores
This community was ravaged by tribal conflicts for over the need to also target adolescents who have never
a decade, however, the post-conflict phase and stability had any sexual encounter but could be infected due
led to prioritization of the region and more focused inter- to perinatal exposure.
ventions from development partners and implementers, It is not surprising that adolescents with higher educa-
which may explain the much higher coverage and uptake tion were more likely to have been tested for HIV since
of testing among adolescents in this region [34]. However, several service providers offer HTS outreaches and
despite the high uptake, there is need to sustain these ef- door-to-door HIV testing in communities including
forts given the significant proportion of adolescents who schools [41, 42].
tested positive among those who had never tested. The high level of stigma towards HIV/AIDS that has
Age, level of education, and ever had sex were signifi- been reported in this setting may explain the > 30% re-
cantly associated with higher levels of HIV testing. Older fusal to test among adolescents who had never tested
adolescents aged 15–19 years had higher odds of HIV [21, 43]. Adolescent tailored communication strategies
testing. In this setting, older adolescents especially boys, including mitigating of stigma in conflict and mobile
take on the role of warriors and looking after cattle and communities could increase uptake of HIV services.
are thus more mobile and probably more likely to access
health services. Older adolescents also have more auton- Limitations
omy and decision making powers including health Our study had several limitations. First the study was fa-
seeking and are also more likely to be sexually active cility based and thus excluded those that might have
due to the culture of early marriages in this community. barriers to accessing health facilities in general—this
This trend has also been documented in other studies could over-estimate the uptake of HIV testing. Secondly
[18, 35] and highlights the need to mitigate the barriers adolescents who tested early in their life but remained
in accessing HIV testing services in the younger age sexually active with partners of unknown HIV status
groups. Whereas the younger adolescents may not be were not retested in this study. Finally, adolescents
sexually active yet, they should also be targeted for test- whose guardians did not consent were excluded—
ing given the potential for perinatally transmitted HIV however this was a very small number (< 12) among the
infection [36, 37]. thousands interviewed and could thus not have signifi-
Adolescents who have ever had sex were more likely cantly influenced the findings. We recommend further re-
to have tested for HIV than those who had not. This re- search to explore mechanisms of enhancing efficiency for
sult could indicate a higher desire among sexually active HTS by improving the targeting of HIV testing to adoles-
adolescents to know their sero-status following sexual cents at high risk of HIV infection.
Ssebunya et al. BMC Public Health (2018) 18:612 Page 7 of 8

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SMC: Safe Medical male circumcision; UNAIDS: Joint United Nations
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