Assessment of Index Case Family Testing Among Adults Attending Art Clinic at Kule Refugee Camp, Southwest Ethiopia: 2021

BACKGROUND: Human immune virus testing and counseling is the gateway to accessing anti-retro viral treatment. As a priority population group, families of index clients have been largely neglected due to a number of different factors. Testing sexual partners and children of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive persons (index case finding) is a promising way of identifying HIV-positive persons unaware of their HIV status. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of index case family testing and its associated factors among adults attending an ART clinic at Kule Refugee Camp, southwestern Ethiopia, 2021. METHODS AND MATERIALS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Kule Refugee Camp, Gambela region. A total of 348 adult ART clinic attendants were selected by using systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by using a pre-tested interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi-Data 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 23. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with index case family testing. The strength of association was assessed by adjusted odds ratio, and statistical significance was declared at a p-value <0.05 and 95% CI. RESULTS: The proportion of index case family testing was 49.%. Educational level: primary level (AOR=2.4, 95% CI=1.24–4.42), secondary level and above (AOR=2.6, 95% CI=1.20–4.70), ART adherence (AOR=6, 95% CI=2.8–14.1), years on ART (AOR=2, 95% CI=1.10–3.20), discussion about HIV testing (AOR=3.6, 95% CI=1.30–10.30), disclosure status (AOR 6, 95% CI=2.21–16.94), and being tested through voluntary counseling and testing (AOR=3.0, 95% CI1.70–5.70) were factors significantly associated with index case family HIV testing. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This study revealed that the proportion of index case family HIV testing in Kule Refugee Camp was 49%. Educational status, adherence status, disclosure status, years on ART, and voluntary counseling and testing were determinant factors. Health professionals should advise index cases to adhere to ART drugs, to disclose their HIV status to their families, and should provide counseling based on guidelines.