Exposure to Social-Media HIV Testing Messages and HIV Self-Testing Among Young University Adults in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Digital platforms have become an important tool for promoting public health interventions, including HIV prevention behaviours. In Tanzania, since 2022, the Ministry of Health, together with other stakeholders, has been promoting HIV self-testing (HIVST) messages under the “JIPIME” campaign, a Kiswahili term meaning “test yourself,” across various social media platforms to increase awareness and uptake among young people. However, little is known about the level of exposure to these messages among young adults and whether such exposure influences HIVST uptake. Therefore, this study assessed exposure to HIV testing content on social media and examined its association with HIVST uptake among university students aged 18–24 years in Dar es Salaam. To address this, an analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among adults aged 18–24 years from Kampala International University in Tanzania (KIUT) and the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT). A total sample of 365 students was recruited using multistage cluster sampling, comprising 193 from DIT and 172 from KIUT. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviations, and percentages, were computed, while chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine associations between exposure to HIV testing content and HIVST uptake (p < 0.05, 95% CI). The study found that 52% (n = 191) of participants reported encountering HIV testing-related content on social media, while 48% had not. The overall uptake of HIV self-testing was 21%. Among those who had self-tested, 80% had been exposed to HIV testing content on social media. In the adjusted analysis, exposure was significantly associated with higher odds of ever self-testing (AOR = 12.0, 95% CI: 2.41–24.52, p < 0.01). Limited knowledge of how to use HIVST kits emerged as the main barrier to uptake. The findings demonstrate that exposure to HIV testing content on social media substantially influences HIVST uptake among young adults. Expanding targeted digital outreach and addressing knowledge gaps on the correct use of HIVST kits are critical strategies for improving uptake and advancing HIV prevention efforts among youth in Tanzania.
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References
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