Willingness to undergo HIV testing among factory workers in Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate workers' perceptions of HIV testing in the workplace in Indonesia. In a cross-sectional study, we used a self-administered questionnaire in Surabaya, Indonesia. A convenient sample of 536 workers was chosen from two factories with similar sample characteristics from March through June 2008. Of these workers, 433 (response rate: 80.8%) answered questions about their willingness to undergo HIV testing. More than 40% of workers were willing to undergo HIV testing. Not knowing where to get tested (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.40, confidence interval [CI] = 0.18–0.89) and not feeling the need to be tested for HIV (AOR = 0.02, CI = 0.01–0.04) were negatively associated with willingness to undergo HIV testing.

HIV prevention in the workplace needs to reach out to individuals who are not willing to undergo HIV testing – workers unaware of where to get tested for HIV and not feeling the need to get tested – through education, information, and communication in the workplace in light of the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV. High-impact voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) strategies need to be quickly developed to improve HIV prevention and access to care in the workplace.

Keywords:

• HIV
• HIV testing
• factory workers
• willingness
• Indonesia

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the international cooperation research fund of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan. We would like to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the participants and cooperation of the two factories.