utilization of voluntary counselling and testing clinic in elderly male hiv/aids patients

Aims: the increasing prevalence of hiv/aids in indonesia, particularly among the male sex group (msm), poses a significant public health challenge. a crucial approach to tackling this challenge involves offering voluntary counseling and testing (vct) services. despite their availability, the utilization of vct services among men who have sex with men (msm) faces significant obstacles, such as stigma, inadequate awareness, and apprehension about receiving test outcomes. this study sought to investigate the determinants affecting the use of vct services among msm living with hiv/aids at kendari city hospital.instrument & methods: this research utilized an observational analytic design with a cross-sectional methodology. eighty-two respondents were chosen through a simple random sampling method from a population of 428 individuals. data was collected using a structured and validated questionnaire encompassing knowledge, attitudes, family support, peer support, and behaviors. data analysis involved univariate analysis, bivariate testing using the chi-square method, and multivariate analysis employing logistic regression.findings: a positive attitude (aor=10.78; p=0.005) and positive actions (aor=8.63; p=0.009) significantly influenced the utilization of vct services. in the univariate analysis, family and peer support exhibited significant associations. however, the multivariate analysis did not identify these factors as significant predictors. similarly, knowledge initially demonstrated a notable relationship but did not retain its significance after adjusting for other variables.conclusion: individual attitudes and actions are the main factors influencing msm’s utilization of vct services.