Condom Utilization and Affecting Factors Among People Living with HIV/AIDS Attending ART Clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Human immune deficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has been a major public health problem globally as well as in Africa including Ethiopia. To prevent HIV effectively, condoms must be used regularly and consistently. When HIV positive individuals have sex without condom, they can easily transmit the vuirus to a seronegative partner. Condom utilization may be affected by various factors. Therefore, the findings from this study will give an opportunity to understand condom utilization and the barriers to condom use. OBJECTIVE: To assess condom utilization and associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS attending anti-retro viral treatment (ART) clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 677 people living with HIV/AIDS attending ART clinics in Addis Ababa from February 1, 2019 to March 30, 2019. The sampling technique was three-stage sampling and finally, the study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were coded, cleaned and entered in to EPIData version 3.4, and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. The association between the dependent variable and independent variables was analyzed using binary logistic regression analysis at 5% level of significance. RESULTS: About 677 HIV/AIDS patients receiving ART at health centers participated in the study. From the total participants, 306 (45.2%) utilized a condom in the last six months. Sex (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.02; 95%CI=1.34–3.05), marital status (AOR=0.39; 95%CI=0.19–0.77 and (AOR=0.48; 95%CI=0.24–0.94), employment status (AOR=0.27; 95%CI=0.12–0.59), type of partner (AOR=0.15; 95%CI=0.05–0.48 and AOR=0.46; 95%CI=0.27–0.79), condom access (AOR=3.97; 95%CI=2.04–7.75), disclosure of HIV status (AOR=0.21; 95%CI=0.14–0.33) and attitude towards condoms (AOR=3.76; 95%CI=2.49–5.65) had significant association with condom utilization. CONCLUSION: Condom utilization was found to be low among people living with HIV/AIDS attending ART clinics in Addis Ababa. This finding indicates that high concern shall be given to minimize the gap. Sex, marital status, employment status, disclosure of HIV status, condom access, type of partner and attitude towards condoms were significantly associated with condom utilization. Hence, continuous condom provision, promotion, demonstration, and awareness creation are vital.