ATTITUDE OF INTENDING COUPLE TOWARD COMPULSORY HIV SCREENING TEST: A MEANS TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF HIV INFECTION

The objective of questionnaire based survey was to assess the attitude and acceptability toward compulsory HIV screening for the intending couple. A structure questionnaire was used to elicit responses from the couples. Data were collected from total 1150 volunteers, that was disaggregate by sex but education and social status were not put in to consideration during the study. Higher percentage of awareness and knowledge were found about modes of transmission, high risk factors, self protection, response were favourable with female than male in vertical transmission or through breast milk. Despite of not knowing the HIV status, 25-48% population willingly agreed to undergo test but larger population disagreed. This finding definitely seems that a lot need is there to enhance the acceptability of the testing, the long distance driver more education on the prevalent of the pandemic, legal intervention will also help.