Risk Behaviour and Psychosocial Stressors of Clients Attending Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre (ICTC) of a Rural Community Health Centre, Tamil Nadu
Abstract:
India has the third largest HIV
epidemic in the world, with an adult (15-49 years) HIV prevalence of 0.22%.
Lack of knowledge and social taboos related to sex issues are major
contributing factors to the spread of HIV/AIDS. The present study is
aimed to assess risk behaviour and psychosocial stressors of voluntary
attendees of ICTC, towards HIV/AIDS in a rural community health centre in Tamil
Nadu. A total of 184 attendees at ICTC, either attending voluntarily or
referred from different primary health centres were included. A pre-designed structured
questionnaire was self -self-administered to each client to evaluate risky
behaviour and psychosocial stressors about HIV/AIDS. Heterosexual risky
behaviour 133(72.3%) was the most common risky sexual behaviour among the study
subjects. Among
primarily anticipated psychosocial stressors financial burden 60 (32.6%) was
the most common concern among the attendees followed by the fear of Serious
illness 58 (31.5%). The present study identifies the
various risk behaviours which might be responsible for the occurrence of HIV
infection among the study participants and the present study also brought out
the various psychosocial stressors faced by the clients attending ICTC, so that
counseling techniques to tackle such stressors can be incorporated in the
training module of the counsellors to impart better counseling services. Health
education can be given to the clients to reduce the risk behaviour and also to
allay the misbeliefs regarding HIV/AIDS.
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