A survey of risk behaviors for unintended pregnancy and human immunodeficiency virus among youth attending voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services in nine centers in urban Haiti and Tanzania

Abstract

Little is known about the behavioral risks for both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and unintended pregnancy among sexually active youth attending voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) in developing countries, and whether youth engaging in risky sexual behaviors perceive themselves to be at risk for HIV. Data are from two cross-sectional studies with youth VCT clients in four facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and five facilities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. We measured risky behavior for HIV and unintended pregnancy and perceptions of risk among VCT clients who reported ever having had sex. The majority of sexually active clients, 69% of men and 62% of women in Haiti and 65% of men and 60% of women in Tanzania, reported recent risky behaviors for HIV. Clients also reported risk behaviors for unintended pregnancy: 15% of men and 53% of women in Haiti and 21% of men and 29% of women in Tanzania. The majority of clients with risk behaviors in Tanzania, but not in Haiti, perceived themselves at risk. Strategies to meet youth VCT clients' broader reproductive health needs and avoid any missed opportunities should be tested.

Keywords:

• adolescent
• sexual behavior
• health services
• pregnancy
• HIV
• Haiti
• Tanzania

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Barbara Janowitz and Dr. Cindy Waszak Geary (FHI/YouthNet) for their mentorship throughout the study and their reviews of this manuscript; of Mr. Elan Reuben (FHI) for data analysis; of Dr. Nancy Murray (Constella Futures) and Dr. Ilene Speizer (former consultant to Constella Futures) for their collaboration in Haiti and helpful reviews of this manuscript; of Ms Leanne Dougherty (formerly of Constella Futures) and Dr. Tania Saint Dic Viala (formerly of FOSREF) for their collaboration in Haiti; and of Ms. Norah Kaaya (Research Coordinator for Tanzania study), Dr. Annefrida Kisesa (formerly of AMREF) and Dr. Chalamilla Guerino (Infectious Disease Centre) for their collaboration in Tanzania. This work was undertaken with support provided by Family Health International (FHI) and the YouthNet project with funds from US Agency for International Development (USAID), Cooperative Agreement no. GPH-A-00-01-00013-00, although views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of FHI or USAID.