Rapid HIV Testing in Al Buraimi Governorate Sultanate of Oman: A Cross Sectional Study

Saad Rashid Saud Al Alawi, Muhammad Muqeet Ullah, Ahmed Yar Mohammed Dawood Al Balushi, Rajeev Kashyap and Vandita Kailas Patil

Global Journal of Health Science, 2018, vol. 10, issue 11, 153

Abstract: BACKGROUND- Due to one of the highest HIV prevalent province in Oman, Voluntary Counselling Testing (VCT) services were integrated in health system of Al Buraimi Governorate, Oman since December 2014. AIM & OBJECTIVE- The study aimed to analyze the situation on HIV rapid testing in Al Buraimi Governorate with objective to identify client’s risk factor among common age group and gender. METHODOLOGY- Cross sectional retrospective study was conducted in Al Buraimi Governorate, Oman among 1412 registered adult VCT clients, unbooked pregnant women with no documented HIV status at the time of delivery or abortion at Buraimi Hospital and clients during outreach community awareness activities on HIV. Retrospective analysis was performed for 3 years from December 2014 to December 2017 on parameters like Age, gender, nationality, risk factors, outcome and place of testing (Hospital and Outreach) using standard national client information form. Descriptive statistics was applied in Microsoft excel and SPSS version 24. Clients’ personal information and confidentiality of the record was maintained during entire study period with approval from regional research and ethical review committee. RESULTS- Of 1412 clients for Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), 990 (70.1%) were females and 422 (29.9%) were males with mean age 27.13±7.02. Majority, 806 (57.1%) RDTs were in outreach followed by 470 (33.3%) and 136 (9.6%) at Maternity ward and Couselling Clinic respectively. Clients included 1294 (91.6%) Omani nationals and 118 (8.4%) non-Omani nationals. The risky behavior was found to be 126 (9%) among clients with heterosexual contributes 65 (4.6%). Among all risk factors, male clients contributed 124 (8.7%) with common age group 26-35 years 56 (3.9%). CONCLUSION- RDTs were utilized mainly during outreach activities that highlight the need of promoting VCT facilities in the clinical setting as services are available 24/7 through hotline. This baseline study would facilitate to develop plan for client’s risk reduction.

Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/download/0/0/37225/37438 (application/pdf)
http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/view/0/37225 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ibn:gjhsjl:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:153

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Global Journal of Health Science from Canadian Center of Science and Education Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Canadian Center of Science and Education ().