Community Influences on Married Men’s Uptake of HIV Testing in Eight African Countries

Despite efforts to increase HIV testing in the African region, the proportion of men who report ever having been tested for
HIV remains low. Research has focused on individual level determinants of women’s testing however little is known about factors
associated with men’s testing behavior. This analysis investigates community influences on HIV testing among men ages 15–54,
using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from Chad, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Multilevel models were fitted in each country for the outcome of ever receiving an HIV test. After controlling for individual
and household level factors, community level factors of demographics, economics, and behavior and knowledge remain significantly
associated with HIV testing among men. The results of this analysis highlight the need to recognize the impact of community
influences on men’s HIV test seeking behavior, and to harness these community factors in the design of programs aimed at encouraging
the uptake of HIV testing among men in Africa.