Background: In Gambella region, inhabitants owe socio-cultural factors that might favor refusal for HIV testing
service utilization among Antenatal Care attendees.
Objective: To assess determinants for refusal of HIV testing service utilization among ANC attendees in Gambella
Region.
Methods: A comparative cross sectional study was conducted among ANC attendees from March 2008 to May
2008 in four selected health facilities of Gambella region. Sample size of 332 participants (83 who refused HIV
testing and 249 who accepted HIV testing) were taken for the study. The study was supplemented with four focus
group discussions. Multivariate binary logistic regression was employed to control for confounding factors.
Results: When adjusted with other factors pregnant women with 2–3 live births in the past; who claimed divorce
as a perceived response of their husband following HIV positive test result; who had not sought agreement from
their husband for testing; disclosure of test for husband and being from certain ethnic group (E.g. Mejenger) were
independent predictors for refusal of HIV testing among ANC attendees.
Conclusion and recommendation: Based on the findings, the following recommendations were forwarded:
Provision of innovative information and education on the pre-test session for those pregnant women having two
or more children; community involvement to tackle stigma; women empowerment; designing couple friendly
counseling service; and fighting harmful traditional practices related with decision of HIV testing.