scholarly journals PO 8276 COMMUNITY INDEX CASE APPROACH AND HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING (HTC) FOR SEXUAL PARTNERS OF HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS LOST TO FOLLOW-UP: THE EXPERIENCE OF WORLD VISION MOZAMBIQUE

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A26.1-A26
Author(s):  
Miguelhete Lisboa ◽  
Saraiva Culuze ◽  
Saimado Imputiua ◽  
Adolfo Cambule ◽  
Christine Latif

BackgroundHIV-positive patients lost to follow-up (HP-LTFU) represent a challenge for HIV/AIDS control efforts as they are associated with higher risk of HIV transmission to their sexual partners, low viral load suppression and higher risk of morbidity and mortality than adherent patients. The SCIP-Ogumaniha programme implemented by World Vision Mozambique, has been utilising the index case approach together with systematic home-based HIV testing and counseling (hHTC) since August 2016 in 7 districts of the Zambezia province. This abstract outlines an evaluation of the contribution of this approach to HIV/AIDS care and treatment (HACT) of sexual partners of HP-LTFU in alignment with the first and second targets of the 90–90–90 UNAIDS strategy.MethodsThe study involved HP-LTFU returned to HACT between October 2016 and September 2017. These patients reported to have sexual partners who had not been tested for HIV and provided informed, written consent for joint hHTC with these individuals. The hHTC package for sexual partners was offered by World Vision project counselors and those who tested HIV-positive were referred to HACT.ResultsOf 7.084 patients who returned to HACT and reported to have an untested sexual partner, 63% (4,471) provided informed, written consent for joint hHTC. Of 4264 sexual partners found and tested, 52% was female, 64% was in the 15–34 age groups, and 88% had never been tested for HIV. About 28% (1.205/4.264) was HIV-positive, 56% of the sexual partners who tested HIV-positive, was female and 98% of these was successfully referred to HACT.ConclusionThe index case approach together with hHTC has contributed to the early diagnosis of 28% of new HIV infections among sexual partners of HP-LTFU and 98% of them ensured timely linkage to the HACT. Therefore, broader promotion and adoption of this approach would make a significant contribution to achievement of the first and second targets of the 90–90–90 UNAIDS strategy.

1970 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 3190-3199
Author(s):  
Caliph Cheruiyot ◽  
Dennis Magu ◽  
Patrick Mburugu ◽  
Daniel Sagwe

Background: Kenya is home to an estimated 1.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS. According to the Kenya AIDS Indicator survey KAIS 2012, HIV prevalence in the age group 15-24 stood at 2.2%. Globally, young people aged 15-24 are a highly vulnerable population with respect to HIV/AIDS infection and transmission. HIV testing and counseling services play a critical role as an entry point to care and treatment. However, uptake of HIV testing and counseling services among the youth in Kenya has been reportedly low. Youths at Universities are among the priority populations in HIV/AIDS programs.Objectives: This study aimed to determine the barriers to uptake and utilization of institution-based voluntary counseling and testing VCT services among students aged 18-24 in selected public universities in Kenya. The specific objectives were to determine the factors associated with uptake and utilization and the association between various socio-demographic factors and service uptake in institutional VCT facilities.Methods: This research utilized a descriptive cross-sectional study design where primarily, data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and through focus group discussions held with the students in the sampled Universities. Data available at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology JKUAT Hospital VCT were reviewed for the period 2010 and 2016 to give an insight into service utilization rates among students. Multi-stage sampling technique was utilized to reach a student sample size of 305 from the selected public Universities in Kenya.Results: Uptake of institutional VCT services among University students sampled stood at 45% from a population where 84.4% were aware of the presence of these services on their campuses. More males than females utilized the services. Emerging themes from the study indicated that participants utilized the services for different reasons. Accessibility to test site, testing hours, fear to be seen at site and fear of test result were also identified as factors affecting service uptake. These factors also were also reported when students were asked about their desired characteristics of a VCT facility on campus.Conclusion: This study has unraveled the factors that are associated with testing and counseling in institutional facilities. University students seem to seek and utilize VCT services for different reasons. It is also clear that patterns of services utilization vary from group to another as observed in the case of year of study, gender and age category.Recommendations: It is necessary for policy makers in institutions of higher learning together with those tasked with managing healthcare services in these institutions to adopt approaches that will overcome the barriers to utilization of VCT services among students. With knowledge of the factors associated with uptake and utilization of VCT services in institutional facilities, efforts to tackle the barriers and maximize on enhancers should be utilized fully in order to improve uptake and utilization of services. More research should also focus on the persisting risky sexual behaviors among University students despite the high knowledge they have on HIV/AIDS.Keywords: Higher learning institutions, voluntary counseling and testing, HIV, barriers and uptake.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Kariithi ◽  
Monisha Sharma ◽  
Emily Kemunto ◽  
Harison Lagat ◽  
George Otieno ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Despite the effective scale-up of HIV testing and treatment programs worldwide, only 75% of persons living with HIV (PLWH) globally know their status, with lower rates among men. This highlights the importance of implementing HIV testing and linkage interventions with high uptake in this population group. In a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted between 2013 and 2015, our team found that assisted partner services (APS) for HIV-exposed partners of newly diagnosed PLWH, safely reached more at-risk individuals to conduct testing compared to client referral alone. However, more data is needed to assess APS implementation in a real-world setting. OBJECTIVE This study evaluates the effectiveness, acceptability, fidelity, and cost of APS when integrated into existing HIV testing services (HTS) in Western Kenya. METHODS In a collaboration between the University of Washington and PATH, we are integrating APS into 31 health facilities in Western Kenya and enrolling female index clients newly diagnosed with HIV who receive APS, their male sexual partners, and female sexual partners of the male sexual partners who test HIV positive. Female index clients and all sexual partners testing HIV-positive will be followed up at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months to assess linkage to care, antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, and HIV viral load suppression. We will evaluate acceptability, fidelity and cost of real-world implementation of APS via in-depth interviews conducted with national, county, and sub-county level policymakers responsible for HIV testing services. Facility health staff providing HIV testing services and APS, in addition to staff working with the study project team will also be interviewed. We will also conduct direct observations of facility infrastructure and clinic procedures, and extract data from facility and county/national databases. RESULTS As of March 2020, we have recruited 1724 index clients, 3201 male partners, and 1585 female partners. We have completed all recruitment for this study and have completed all 6-week (99%), 6-month (97%) and 12-month (91%) follow-up visits. Preliminary analyses demonstrate that through scaling-up APS, facilities are able to identify 12-18 new HIV-positive males for every 100 men contacted and tested. We are now in the process of completing the remaining follow-up interviews and building a self-testing component of the study as an adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Results will be used to bridge the gap between clinical research findings and everyday practice, and provide guidance on optimal strategies for APS integration into HIV service delivery. CLINICALTRIAL N/A


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. S6-S12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Shahid ◽  
Mohammad Faisal Majeed ◽  
Ahmad Bakhsh Awaan ◽  
Humayun Mirza ◽  
Nasir Sarfraz ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deogratius Bintabara ◽  
Athanase Lilungulu ◽  
Shakilu Jumanne ◽  
Mzee M. Nassoro ◽  
Bonaventura C. Mpondo

Abstract Background Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC) is a recommended approach to screen for HIV to all pregnant women during antenatal care (ANC) visits, and all with HIV positive results have to be enrolled into prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) program. However, little is known about the relationship between facility readiness and the uptake of PITC to pregnant women attending ANC in Tanzania. Therefore, this study assessed whether the facility readiness promotes the uptake of PITC to the pregnant women attending ANC for the purpose of improving the PMTCT interventions in Tanzania. Methods This study analyzed data for health facilities obtained from the 2014–2015 Tanzania service provision assessment survey. The Primary outcome measure was a composite variable (with score of 0–5) in which its higher scores indicates provision of high-quality of PITC. Also, facilities scored higher in the PMTCT service readiness index were considered to have high readiness to provide PMTCT services. In Poisson regression analyses, a series of models were fitted to assess whether there is an association between provision of high-quality of PITC and facility readiness. In all statistical analysis, a P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results Out of 1853 included first-visit ANC consultations, only about one-third of pregnant women received all five components required for PITC. The mean percentage of PMTCT readiness score was moderate 63.96 [61.32–66.59]%. In adjusted model, we found that facility with high readiness to provide PMTCT services was significantly associated with the provision of high-quality of PITC (model 2: [β = 0.075, P = 0.00]). Conclusion In order to increase high-quality of PITC services, efforts should be made to improve the PMTCT facility readiness by increasing availability of trained staffs, diagnostic tools, and ARTs among health facilities in Tanzania.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. e0201018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taurayi A. Tafuma ◽  
Nyikadzino Mahachi ◽  
Chengetai Dziwa ◽  
Peter Marowa ◽  
Tafara Moga ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Abby DiCarlo ◽  
Carrigan Parish ◽  
Lisa Metsch

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rewel Kariuki ◽  
Gilbert Koome Rithaa ◽  
Oyugi Elvis ◽  
Daniel Gachathi

Abstract Background: Identification of people living with HIV is key in HIV prevention and control. Partner Notification service is a World Health Organization backed strategy of reaching out to sexual partners of people diagnosed with HIV for HIV testing. However, its adoption and success rate in Kenya remains unknown.Methods: A cross sectional facility based study was undertaken in five purposively selected health facilities in Muranga County, Kenya. A retrospective review of patient medical records data for HIV positive index clients and their Sexual Partners conducted. Census approach applied to extract data for study subjects from Partner Notification Service registers for the period covering January 2017 to August 2018. Epi Info software was used for data analysis.Results: A total of 183 index clients offered Partner notification services. The mean age of the indexed clients studied was 39(SD ±13.1). Females comprised 64 % of clients studied. Of the 183 indexed clients, 89% accepted the services and elicited 216 sexual partners for tracing. The ratio of elicited sexual partners to index client was 1.3:1. Out of the 216 sexual partners, 77% were reached and tested. A total of 46 [32%] of the sexual partners elicited and traced, tested HIV positive. The most preferred approaches were provider referral (51%) and contract referral (45%). Dual referral (4%) was the least preferred approach. Conclusions: Partner notification services is acceptable and an effective strategy of increasing HIV case identification and raising awareness to exposed sexual partners in low resource countries.


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