Original scientific paper
Characteristics of Clients Tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection at the Voluntary Counselling and Testing Center in Zagreb, Croatia
Mirjana Lana Kosanović
Branko Kolarić
Abstract
The objective of this study was to present some epidemiological characteristics of persons tested for HIV/AIDS at the
Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre (VCT) Zagreb that was founded in November 2004. The majority of clients
tested were between 25 and 29 years old and had a secondary level education. 78% of the clients tested reported one risky
behaviour in the past, the majority of which was attributed to risky heterosexual behaviour (having unprotected sexual
intercourse). 35% of the clients reported having never or only occasionally used condom with a non-regular partner. 30%
of the clients with a history of injecting drug use reported that they never »shared« injecting equipment. The results presented
in this paper could be a useful tool for public health officers when targeting interventions for HIV prevention.
Keywords
Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre; HIV testing; risky behaviour; condom use; sharing of injecting equipment; HIV prevention
Hrčak ID:
27705
URI
Publication date:
25.4.2006.
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