KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF VOLUNTARY HIV /AIDS COUNSELING AND TESTING SERVICES AMONG WOMEN IN ILORIN SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KWARA STATE.

Background information: Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) for HIV/AIDS is a key strategy in the prevention and control of HIV transmission. VCT involves individuals voluntarily seeking HIV testing and receiving counseling on prevention, treatment, and care. Despite the importance of VCT, studies have shown that there are low levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to VCT among women of reproductive age group in Nigeria. The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of voluntary counseling and testing of HIV /AIDS among women in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara state. The research employed a descriptive cross-sectional design, with a sample of 480 among women of reproductive age group the target demographic. The data was collected by the utilization of a electronic administered structured questionnaire and subsequently subjected to analysis employing fundamental statistical techniques, including frequencies, percentages, and chi-square analysis. Result: The researcher utilized a significance level of p < 0.05. The majority of participants (49.8%) fell within the age range of 25-35 years, while 32.5% were younger than 45 years and 22.7% were between the ages of 15-24 years. The majority of the participants were married, with only 32.5% reporting being single. In relation to the prevalence of voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS among women of reproductive age group, it was found that (67.1%) claimed that fear of receiving a positive result was the main barriers that prevented them from seeking voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS. In general, it was found that (61.3%) of the participants have not received voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS. Approximately majority of participants (79.0%) have not been tested for HIV/AIDS and they did not seek treatment and care for it while (62.3%) have not heard about voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV/AIDS. The majority of participants (66.5%) and (68.1%) claimed that Lack of awareness and fear of stigma are the barriers that prevent them from participating in voluntary counseling and HIV/AIDS testing respectively. Approximately (84.4%) of the participants reported that fear of stigma and discrimination is the main barriers preventing them from accessing voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AID. Conclusion and Recommendation: Therefore, This study evident that there is low uptake of voluntary HIV counselling and testing among respondents and the major barriers were lack of information or awareness about testing, some did not frequently undergo voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS and they do not feel comfortable discussing HIV/AIDS with healthcare providers barriers. It is concluded that voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS plays a crucial role in increasing awareness, preventing transmission, and ensuring early diagnosis and treatment. By addressing these challenges and promoting the importance of voluntary counseling and testing, we can work towards reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS and improving the overall health and well-being of affected individuals and communities.