Application of the Health Belief Model to HIV Testing and Counselling Among Youth Living in Selected Rural Communities in Ghana

Human Immune Virus/Acquired Humane Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a pandemic that has caused devastating effects on both infected and affected persons. However, with the discovery of Anti-Retroviral Therapy, early detection of HIV leads to timely treatment, which significantly leads to prolong life. This study aimed at predicting the HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) behaviour of youth of selected rural communities in Ghana using the health belief model (HBM). This cross sectional study was conducted on 424 youth using a questionnaire. By applying the multi stage sampling technique, a dominantly rural district was first purposefully selected, and then the communities through simple random sampling, and lastly the individual youth were purposefully selected. Data was processed and analysed using SPSS version 22 software. Findings from the study revealed that, respondents’ perceived susceptibility to HTC, perceived benefits and the level of awareness (cues to action) were high, however respondents perceived barriers to HTC was indifferent. It was also found that an increase in a person’s perceived benefits was likely to affect one’s perceived barriers to participate in HIV Testing and Counselling. This indicates a crucial need for formal educational programs to sensitize them regarding the benefits of HTC. Stakeholders in health should therefore focus HIV/AIDS educational programmes on the benefits of HIV screening behaviours to the youth.