Economic evaluation of HIV testing for men who have sex with men in community-based organizations – results from six European cities

AIDS Care ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 985-989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Perelman ◽  
Ricardo Rosado ◽  
Omar Amri ◽  
Stéphane Morel ◽  
Daniela Rojas Castro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Community Based ◽  
European Cities ◽  
Community Based Organizations ◽  
Sex With Men

scholarly journals HIV testing amid COVID-19: community efforts to reach men who have sex with men in three Kenyan counties

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Manas Migot Odinga ◽  
Samuel Kuria ◽  
Oliver Muindi ◽  
Peter Mwakazi ◽  
Margret Njraini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Key Populations ◽  
Open Letter ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Based Organizations ◽  
Self Testing ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Peer Outreach ◽  
Hiv Programs

In comparison to European and American countries, Kenya has been less impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of reported cases and mortalities. However, everyday life has been dramatically affected by highly restrictive government-imposed measures such as stay-at-home curfews, prohibitions on mobility across national and county boundaries, and strict policing, especially of the urban poor, which has culminated in violence. This open letter highlights the effects of these measures on how three community-based organizations (CBOs) deliver HIV programs and services to highly stigmatized communities of men who have sex with men living in the counties of Kisumu, Kiambu and Mombasa. In particular, emphasis is placed on how HIV testing programs, which are supported by systematic peer outreach, are being disrupted at a time when global policymakers call for expanded HIV testing and treatment targets among key populations. While COVID 19 measures have greatly undermined local efforts to deliver health services to members and strengthen existing HIV testing programs, each of the three CBOs has taken innovative steps to adapt to the restrictions and to the COVID-19 pandemic itself. Although HIV testing in clinical spaces among those who were once regular and occasional program attendees dropped off noticeably in the early months of the COVID-19 lockdown, the program eventually began to rebound as outreach approaches shifted to virtual platforms and strategies. Importantly and unexpectedly, HIV self-testing kits proved to fill a major gap in clinic-based HIV testing at a time of crisis.

scholarly journals HIV testing amid COVID-19: community efforts to reach men who have sex with men in three Kenyan counties

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Manas Migot Odinga ◽  
Samuel Kuria ◽  
Oliver Muindi ◽  
Peter Mwakazi ◽  
Margret Njraini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Open Letter ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Based Organizations ◽  
Self Testing ◽  
The Government ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Peer Outreach ◽  
Hiv Programs

In comparison to European and American countries, Kenya has been less impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of reported cases and mortalities. However, everyday life has been dramatically affected by highly restrictive government-imposed measures such as stay-at-home curfews, prohibitions on mobility across national and county boundaries, and strict policing, especially of the urban poor, which has culminated in violence. This open letter highlights the effects of these measures on how three community-based organizations (CBOs) deliver HIV programs and services to highly stigmatized communities of men who have sex with men living in the counties of Kisumu, Kiambu and Mombasa. In particular, emphasis is placed on how HIV testing programs, which are supported by systematic peer outreach, are being disrupted at a time when global policymakers call for expanded HIV testing and treatment targets among key populations. While government measures have greatly undermined local efforts to deliver health services to members and strengthen existing HIV testing programs, each of the three CBOs has taken innovative steps to adapt to the government restrictions and to the COVID-19 pandemic itself. Although HIV testing in clinical spaces among those who were once regular and occasional program attendees dropped off noticeably in the early months of the COVID-19 lockdown, the program eventually began to rebound as outreach approaches shifted to virtual platforms and strategies. Importantly and unexpectedly, HIV self-testing kits proved to fill a major gap in clinic-based HIV testing at a time of crisis.

scholarly journals COBA-Cohort: a prospective cohort of HIV-negative men who have sex with men, attending community-based HIV testing services in five European countries (a study protocol)

BMJ Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. e011314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Lorente ◽  
Laura Fernàndez-López ◽  
Ricardo Fuertes ◽  
Daniela Rojas Castro ◽  
François Pichon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Study Protocol ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Hiv Testing Services ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Hiv Negative

scholarly journals ‘Break the Chains 2015’ community-based HIV prevention campaign for men who have sex with men in Switzerland: non-randomised evaluation and cost analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e032459
Author(s):  
Kathrin Frey ◽  
Stéphanie Lociciro ◽  
Patricia Blank ◽  
Matthias Schwenkglenks ◽  
Françoise Dubois-Arber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Cost Analysis ◽  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Prevention Campaign ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Hiv Acquisition ◽  
Risk Of Hiv Acquisition ◽  
Campaign Message

ObjectivesTo study the implementation, effects and costs of Break the Chains, a community-based HIV prevention campaign for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Switzerland, from March to May 2015, which aimed to reduce early HIV transmission by promoting the campaign message to adopt short-term risk reduction followed by HIV testing.DesignNon-randomised evaluation and cost analysis.SettingGay venues in 11 of 26 cantons in Switzerland and national online media campaign.ParticipantsMSM in online surveys (precampaign n=834, postcampaign n=688) or attending HIV testing centres (n=885); campaign managers (n=9); and campaign staff (n=38) or further intermediaries (n=80) in an online survey.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was the proportion of MSM at risk of HIV acquisition or transmission who adhered to the campaign message. Secondary outcomes were postcampaign test uptake, knowledge about HIV primary infection and sense of belonging to the gay community.ResultsCampaign staff estimated that they contacted 17 145 MSM in 11 cantons. Among 688 respondents to the postcampaign survey, 311 (45.2%) were categorised as MSM at risk. Of 402/688 (58.5%) MSM who had heard about Break the Chains 2015, MSM categorised as being at risk were less likely to report adherence to the campaign message than MSM not at risk (adjusted OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.42). Twenty per cent of MSM with a defined risk of HIV acquisition or transmission who adopted risk reduction declared having done so because of the campaign. Costs for one MSM at risk to adhere to the campaign message were estimated at USD purchasing power parity 36–55. The number of HIV tests in the month after the campaign was twice the monthly average.ConclusionBreak the Chains increased HIV testing, implying that community-based campaigns are useful HIV prevention strategies for MSM. Additional interventions are needed to reach MSM at the highest risk of infection more effectively.

scholarly journals The contribution of HIV point-of-care tests in early HIV diagnosis: community-based HIV testing monitoring in Catalonia, 1995 to 2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (43) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Fernàndez-López ◽  
Juliana Reyes-Urueña ◽  
Anna Conway ◽  
Jorge Saz ◽  
Adriana Morales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Hiv Diagnosis ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Hiv Continuum Of Care ◽  
Point Of Care Tests ◽  
The Impact

Background Community-based HIV testing services combined with the use of point-of-care tests (POCT) have the potential to improve early diagnosis through increasing availability, accessibility and uptake of HIV testing. Aim To describe community-based HIV testing activity in Catalonia, Spain, from 1995 to 2018, and to evaluate the impact of HIV POCT on the HIV continuum of care. Methods A community-based network of voluntary counselling and testing services in Catalonia, Spain has been collecting systematic data on activity, process and results since 1995. A descriptive analysis was performed on pooled data, describing the data in terms of people tested and reactive screening test results. Results Between 1995 and 2018, 125,876 HIV tests were performed (2.1% reactive). Since the introduction of HIV POCT in 2007, a large increase in the number of tests performed was observed, reaching 14,537 tests alone in 2018 (1.3% reactive). Men who have sex with men (MSM), as a proportion of all people tested, has increased greatly over time reaching 74.7% in 2018. The highest percentage of reactive tests was found in people who inject drugs followed by MSM. The contribution of community-based HIV testing to the overall total notified cases in the Catalonia HIV registry has gradually increased, reaching 37.9% in 2018, and 70% of all MSM cases. In 2018, the percentage of individuals with a reactive screening test who were linked to care was 89.0%. Conclusion Our study reinforces the important role that community-based HIV POCT has on the diagnosis of HIV in key populations.

scholarly journals HIV Testing and Management: Findings from a National Sample of Asian/Pacific Islander Men Who Have Sex with Men

2012 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Y. Wong ◽  
Eric J. Nehl ◽  
Jennifer J. Han ◽  
Z. Jennifer Huang ◽  
Yu Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Pacific Islander ◽  
National Study ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Asian Pacific Islander ◽  
Asian Pacific ◽  
Sex With Men

Objectives. We examined reasons for and barriers to participating in HIV voluntary counseling and testing for Asian/Pacific Islander (A/PI) men who have sex with men (MSM) in the U.S. Methods. We collected data between June 2007 and September 2009 in a study known as Men of Asia Testing for HIV, using a cross-sectional community-based participatory design. This national study was conducted in seven U.S. metropolitan cities through a coalition of seven community-based organizations. Results. Participants included 445 self-identified A/PI MSM aged ≥18 years. Perception of being at risk was the number one reason for testing behaviors. For first-time testers, structural barriers (e.g., language barriers with health professionals) and fear of disclosure (e.g., sexual orientation not known to parents) were deterrents for nontesting in the past. Among previously known HIV-positive men, 22% were not seeing a doctor and 19% were not taking any HIV medications. Conclusions. HIV testing, care, and treatment policies would be less than optimal without addressing barriers to testing, including stigma related to sexual orientation, among A/PI MSM.

scholarly journals Implementation of Rapid HIV Testing Programs in Community and Outreach Settings: Perspectives from Staff at Eight Community-Based Organizations in Seven U.S. Cities

2008 ◽  
Vol 123 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 86-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hollie A. Clark ◽  
Kristina E. Bowles ◽  
Binwei Song ◽  
James D. Heffelfinger
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Confirmatory Test ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Hiv Counseling ◽  
Community Based Organizations ◽  
Counseling And Testing ◽  
Hiv Test ◽  
Rapid Hiv Test

Objectives. The goals of this research were to evaluate perceptions of staff about the effectiveness of methods used by eight community-based organizations (CBOs) to implement human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and rapid testing in community and outreach settings in seven U.S. cities, and to identify operational challenges. Methods. A survey was administered to CBO staff to determine their perceptions about the effectiveness of methods used to select testing venues, promote their testing programs, recruit people for testing, provide test results, and link HIV-positive people to health care. Using a Likert scale, respondents rated the effectiveness of methods, their agreement with statements about using mobile testing units (MTUs) and rapid HIV test kits, and operational challenges. Results. Most respondents perceived the methods they used for selecting testing venues, and particularly using recommendations from people receiving testing, to be effective. Most respondents also thought their promotional activities were effective. Respondents believed that using MTUs improved their capacity to reach high-risk individuals, but that MTUs were associated with substantial challenges (e.g., costs to purchase and maintain them). Programmatic challenges included training staff to provide counseling and testing, locating and providing confirmatory test results to people with reactive rapid tests, and sustaining testing programs. Conclusions. CBO staff thought the methods used to select venues for HIV testing were effective and that using MTUs increased their ability to provide testing to high-risk individuals. However, using MTUs was expensive and posed logistical difficulties. CBOs planning to implement similar programs should take these findings into consideration and pay particular attention to training needs and program sustainability.

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