%0 Journal Article
%T HIV Testing and Tolerance to Gender Based Violence: A Cross-Sectional Study in Zambia
%A Sara Gari
%A Jacob R. S. Malungo
%A Adriane Martin-Hilber
%A Maurice Musheke
%A Christian Schindler
%A Sonja Merten
%J PLOS ONE
%D 2013
%I Public Library of Science (PLoS)
%R 10.1371/journal.pone.0071922
%X This paper explores the effect of social relations and gender-based conflicts on the uptake of HIV testing in the South and Central provinces of Zambia. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study of 1716 randomly selected individuals. Associations were examined using mixed-effect multivariable logistic regression. A total of 264 men (64%) and 268 women (56%) had never tested for HIV. The strongest determinants for not being tested were disruptive couple relationships (OR = 2.48 95% CI = 1.00¨C6.19); tolerance to gender-based violence (OR = 2.10 95% CI = 1.05¨C4.32) and fear of social rejection (OR = 1.48 95% CI = 1.23¨C1.80). In the Zambian context, unequal power relationships within the couple and the community seem to play a pivotal role in the decision to test which until now have been largely underestimated. Policies, programs and interventions to rapidly increase HIV testing need to urgently address gender-power inequity in relationships and prevent gender-based violence to reduce the negative impact on the lives of couples and families.
%U http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0071922