Transactional sex, HIV testing and receipt of results among adolescents and young women: a comparative DHS analysis of the four major regions in Uganda

Abstract

Transactional sex, and HIV remain significant public health concerns in Uganda, necessitating increased HIV testing and results receipt among young females who engage in transactional sex. This study aimed at examining regional variations and factors associated with transactional sex, HIV testing, and receipt of results among young women in the four major regions of Uganda. Stata version 15 was used to analyze the 2016 UDHS data set. The study applied a binary logistic regression model to examine the predictors of HIV testing and receipt of results at multivariate level. Overall, 13.5% of the young women reported engaging in transactional sex. The prevalence of HIV testing and receipt of results was highest amongst respondents who had been involved in transactional sex within Eastern Uganda (24.0%), and lowest among those in Central Uganda (7.2%). The study revealed significant predictors across regions: transactional sex, marital status, and distance to the health facility in the North; age, marital status and frequency of reading newspapers in Central; and age, working status, frequency of reading newspaper and watching television, and stigmatizing attitude in Eastern and Western regions. This study underscores the importance of region-specific programming and the need for an all-encompassing strategy to address the intricate factors driving HIV transmission among young women in Uganda. It is paramount that well designed peer education interventions tailored towards life skills development for young women engaged in transactional sex are implemented.