Acceptance of routine HIV councelling and testing (HCT) can go along way in providing
the much needed support including treatment to alleviate suffering from HIV/AIDS.
However, there is low uptake of routine HCT. The purpose of this study was to determine
factors influencing acceptance of routine HCT. Specific objectives included to:
determining the level of acceptance of routine HTC among pregnant women in Kibera
informal settlement; determine socio-demographic characteristics influencing acceptance
of routine HTC among pregnant women in Kibera informal settlement; determine
institutional characteristics influencing acceptance of routine HTC among pregnant
women in Kibera informal settlement; and, assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices
influencing acceptance of routine HTC among pregnant women in Kibera informal
settlement. The study was across-sectional descriptive in nature employing both
quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data was collected using structured interview
schedules with open and closed type questions where a total of 400 respondents were
interviewed. Three key informants from NASCOP, NACC, and the DASCO in Langata
District were interviewed. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17. Data was presented
using charts, graphs and frequency tables. Factors that were significantly associated with
acceptance of routine HIV testing and counseling were being married (χ 2 = 5.6, df = 1, P
=0.018), attending ANC at least once (χ 2 = 5.06, df = 1, P =0.024), being in second or
third trimester of pregnancy (χ 2 = 7.26, df = 1, P =0.007),satisfaction with pretest
counseling (χ 2
= 33.417 df = 1, P =0.000), Defaut from ANC (χ
2 = 5.081, df = 1, P
=0.024), knowledge whether HIV is curable (χ 2 = 5.312, df = 1 P =0.021), knowledge on
availability of routine HIV counseling and testing (χ 2 = 17.848, df = 1, P =0.000), pretest
counseling (χ
2 = 12.661, df = 1, P =0.000. Key informant interviews showed that low
education level, ignorance and poverty contributed to low acceptance of routine HTC. It
was concluded that marital status, low education level, lack of knowledge of risk factors
for HIV infection and not attending ANC contribute to low acceptance of routine HTC.
In addition, lack of access to government hospitals and awareness of routine HTC are
major impediments of acceptance of routine HTC. Based on these findings to improve the
acceptance of routine HTC the study recommends to Government of Kenya and other
stake holders to design integrated HIV and reproductive health programmes targeting the
youth and establish more public health facilities to increase accessibility.