RiskRadar: development and pilot results of a technical intervention targeting combination prevention regarding HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis

Abstract Background The HIV pandemic impacts the lives of millions and despite the global coordinated response, innovative actions are still needed to end it. A major challenge is the added burden of coinfections such as viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and various sexually transmitted infections in terms of prevention, treatment and increased morbidity in individuals with HIV infection. A need for combination prevention strategies, tailored to high-risk key populations arises and technology-based interventions can be a valuable asset. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the delivery of existing services and added stress to existing public health and clinical structures but also highlighted the potential of exploiting technical solutions for interventions regarding infectious diseases. In this paper we report the design process, results and evaluation findings from the pilots of ‘RiskRadar’—a web and mobile application aiming to support combination prevention, testing and linkage to care for HIV, viral hepatitis, various sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis. Methods RiskRadar was developed for the INTEGRATE Joint Action’s aim to improve, adapt and pilot innovative digital tools for combination prevention. RiskRadar was designed iteratively using informed end-user-oriented approaches. Emphasis was placed on the Risk Calculator that enables users to assess their risk of exposure to one or more of the four disease areas, make informed decisions to seek testing or care and adjust their behaviours ultimately aiming to harm/risk reduction. RiskRadar has been piloted in three countries, namely Croatia, Italy and Lithuania. Results RiskRadar has been used 1347 times across all platforms so far. More than 90% of users have found RiskRadar useful and would use it again, especially the Risk Calculator component. Almost 49.25% are men and 29.85% are in the age group of 25–34. The application has scored 5.2/7 in the User Experience Questionnaire, where it is mainly described as “supportive” and “easy-to-use”. The qualitative evaluation of RiskRadar also yielded positive feedback. Conclusions Pilot results demonstrate above average satisfaction with RiskRadar and high user-reported usability scores, supporting the idea that technical interventions could significantly support combination prevention actions on Sexually Transmitted Infections.

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Addressing Social Determinants of Health in the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Tuberculosis

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/00333549101250s401 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 125 (4_suppl) ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 112

Author(s):

Hazel D. Dean ◽

Kevin A. Fenton

Keyword(s):

Viral Hepatitis ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Social Determinants Of Health ◽

Social Determinants ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Determinants Of Health ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

And Control ◽

Hiv Aids

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43: A qualitative evaluation of “Computer Assessment and Risk Reduction Education (CARE) for sexually transmitted infections”

Journal of Adolescent Health ◽

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.11.119 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 38 (2) ◽

pp. 134-135

Author(s):

Sara L.C. Mackenzie ◽

Ann E. Kurth ◽

Freya Spielberg

Keyword(s):

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Risk Reduction ◽

Qualitative Evaluation ◽

Computer Assessment ◽

Sexually Transmitted

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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on testing services for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections in the WHO European Region, March to August 2020

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/1560-7917.es.2020.25.47.2001943 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (47) ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Simões ◽

Annemarie Rinder Stengaard ◽

Lauren Combs ◽

Dorthe Raben ◽

Keyword(s):

Impact Assessment ◽

Viral Hepatitis ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Secondary Care ◽

National Level ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

European Region ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Preliminary Results

We present preliminary results of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) impact assessment on testing for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections in the WHO European Region. We analyse 98 responses from secondary care (n = 36), community testing sites (n = 52) and national level (n = 10). Compared to pre-COVID-19, 95% of respondents report decreased testing volumes during March–May and 58% during June–August 2020. Reasons for decreases and mitigation measures were analysed.

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Recommendations for collection and integration of community-based testing and linkage to care data into national surveillance, monitoring and evaluation systems for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections: results from the INTEGRATE Joint Action

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-021-06499-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (S2) ◽

Author(s):

Laura Fernàndez-López ◽

Irena Klavs ◽

Anna Conway ◽

Tanja Kustec ◽

Mojca Serdt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Linkage To Care ◽

Monitoring And Evaluation ◽

National Surveillance ◽

Community Based ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Evaluation Systems ◽

Voluntary Counselling ◽

Testing Data ◽

Voluntary Counselling And Testing

Abstract Background National testing strategy, including monitoring and evaluation, is critical in responding to HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and viral hepatitis. Community-based voluntary counselling and testing contributes to early HIV diagnoses among key populations. Countries providing community-based testing, should integrate some core data on testing and linkage to care in these services into national surveillance and monitoring and evaluation systems. This study aimed to support the integration of community-based voluntary counselling and testing data into respective national surveillance and M&E systems for those infections. Methods Preliminary consensus on indicators for the integration of community-based voluntary counselling and testing data into respective national surveillance and monitoring and evaluation systems was reached. Pilot studies were conducted in Estonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. After pilot activities were implemented, the final consensus on indicators was reached. An analysis of the facilitators and barriers faced during pilot studies was conducted to inform the final recommendations for implementation. Results The minimum set of six indicators to be integrated into national surveillance and monitoring and evaluation systems were: number of tests, number of clients tested, reactivity rate for tests and clients, positivity (active infection) rates for tests and clients, linkage to care rates for clients with reactive and/or positive test result, proportion of all new diagnoses in a country with first reactive test result at community-based voluntary counselling and testing service. Seven additional indicators were identified. Each indicator should be disaggregated by key population, sex and age group. A list of 10 recommendations for the collection and integration of community-based voluntary counselling and testing data into national surveillance and monitoring and evaluation systems for HIV, sexually transmitted infections and viral hepatitis was identified. Conclusions Integration of some community-based voluntary counselling and testing monitoring and evaluation data into national surveillance and monitoring and evaluation systems in all pilot countries was achieved. The recommendations will support such integration in other European countries. European Centre for Prevention and Control of Diseases included questions from the minimum list of indicators into their Dublin Declaration questionnaire 2020 to contribute to evidence based community testing policies in European countries.

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High prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among women screened for a contraceptive intravaginal ring study, Kisumu, Kenya, 2014

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462418782810 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (14) ◽

pp. 1390-1399 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vincent O Oliver ◽

George Otieno ◽

Roman Gvetadze ◽

Mitesh A Desai ◽

Mumbi Makanga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Medical Information ◽

Prevalence Ratio ◽

Combination Prevention ◽

Exchange Sex ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Medical Evaluation ◽

Kenyan Women ◽

Intravaginal Ring ◽

Simplex Virus

We assessed prevalence and correlates of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), gonorrhoea (GC), syphilis (SYP), Chlamydia (CT) and HIV among Kenyan women aged 18–34 years who were screened for a contraceptive intravaginal ring study. Women provided demographic, behavioural and medical information, and underwent medical evaluation, including a pelvic exam. We computed crude and adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using log-binomial regression. Of 463 women screened, 457 provided laboratory specimens and were included in the analysis. The median age was 25 years, interquartile range (21–28), and 68.5% had completed primary or lower education. Overall, 72.2% tested positive for any STI or BV. Point prevalence was 55.6, 38.5, 3.9, 2.0, 4.6, and 14.7% for HSV-2, BV, GC, SYP, CT, and HIV, respectively. Co-infection with HSV-2, BV, and HIV occurred in 28 (6.1%) participants. Having ≥1 STI/BV was associated with younger age at first sex (≤13 versus 17–19 years, aPR=1.27, 95% CI 1.07–1.51), history of exchange sex (aPR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.07–3.92), sexual intercourse in the past seven days (aPR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.01–1.36), and older age (30–34 versus 18–24 years, aPR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.06–1.48). STI/BV diagnosis was less likely for women reporting one lifetime sexual partner compared to women with ≥4 lifetime sexual partners (aPR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.54–0.92). Combination prevention approaches (biomedical, behavioural, social, and structural) tailored to women with diverse risk profiles may help mitigate STI/BV prevalence in this setting.

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