Evaluation of Socio-psychological Factors that Impede/Promote Voluntary Counseling Test (VCT) Services among Youths in Anambra State

Abstract

The socio-psychological factors that impede/promote VCT services among youths in Anambra State of Nigeria were evaluated. 400 youths were randomly selected using multi-stage method. Questionnaire was used as the instrument. The split-half method was used to test the reliability of the instrument with correlation coefficient 0f .85. The result showed that socio-psychological factors that impede VCT as perceived by youths in Anambra State include fear of stigma (mean score 2.8), fear of positive test result (mean score 2.8), Abandonment and rejection (mean score 2.7), fear of lack of care and support if test is positive (mean score 2.6) while those factors identify to promote VCT include desire to know how to remain uninfected (mean score 3.5). It was concluded that since socio-psychological factors impede/promotes VCT as perceived by the youths, public should be made to understood that going to access VCT services does not mean that the individual is already infected and want to confirm it in order to be receiving treatment rather it mean going to acquire information that will help one remain uninfected or reduce transmission of HIV and live healthy life if found infected.