Voluntary Counseling and Testing [VCT] and Behavioral Changes in Sub-Saharan Africa: Multi-Country Evidence - Consistent or Contradictory?

Clifford O Odimegwu, University of the Witwatersrand

This study is a detailed analysis of a sample of the 2000 rounds of DHS data sets in sub-saharan Africa to examine the effectiveness of VCT in stimualating behavioral changes.The study is designed to provide answers to four interrelated questions. The paper first presents data on the trends, prevalence and nature of VCT and behavioral changes in the region. Data analysis is done using multinomial logistic regressions to look at the role of VCT, HIV/AIDS knowledge and perceptions, individual, community variables in stimulating behavioral changes. The findings, most of which are intriquing will illuminate our understanding of the role of VCT in promoting the observed sexuaL behavioral changes in some of the countries. Explanations are also provided for the huge gap between VCT and behavioral changes. Implications of findings to efforts at fighting the AIDS pandemic will be discussed.