Prevalence of self-reported HIV testing and associated factors among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa: Results from a 2017 nationally representative population-based HIV survey

OBJECTIVES: This article estimated the prevalence of self-reported HIV testing and identified associated factors among sexually active adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), aged 15–24 years, in South Africa. STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary data analysis of a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional multi-stage cluster survey of households in South Africa conducted in 2017. METHODS: Descriptive statistics were used to describe AGYW characteristics and the multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with HIV testing. All analyses were adjusted for unequal sampling probabilities using survey weights. RESULTS: From the 1360 AGYW analysed (70.3% aged 20–24 years, 89.0% Black African, 95.5% unmarried, 88.7% unemployed), 1154 (estimate 85.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 83.0 to 88.1)) had ever tested for HIV. In adjusted analysis, AGYW who had been pregnant in the past 24 months (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 3.67, 95%CI: 1.68 to 8.02), were older (20–24 years: aOR 3.13, 95%CI: 1.86 to 5.28), or did not use condoms consistently compared to using them every time (almost every time: aOR 3.31, 95%CI: 1.07 to 10.22; sometimes: aOR 2.54, 95%CI: 1.29 to 4.98) had significantly higher odds of ever testing for HIV. CONCLUSIONS: This research identified an unmet need for HIV testing among AGYW and increasing awareness of HIV counselling and testing among AGYW in South Africa is recommended.