Abstract

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the leading cause of death among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa and the second leading cause of death among adolescents globally, yet this population is not expressly targeted in HIV prevention. Consequently, HIV prevalence among this population continues to rise. In 2014, McNairy and El-Sadr developed and proposed an HIV prevention continuum framework to ensure zero HIV infection among HIV uninfected people. While a step in the right direction, the continuum does not categorically focus on adolescents and thus, does not include mechanisms to offset the potential challenges this population experiences in HIV prevention. Intentionally involving adolescents in HIV prevention is crucial, as this population is considered integral to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 target of eliminating HIV by 2030. This paper examines the challenges of adolescent participation in HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa using the McNairy and El-Sadar HIV prevention continuum framework as a backdrop. Copyright © 2021 Armstrong-Mensah et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.

Highlights

  • As of 2019, about 1.7 million people were newly infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), approximately 38 million were living with HIV, and an estimated 690,000 died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) related causes globally.[1]

  • In the attempt to keep the fight against HIV on the global agenda, several international initiatives, including the Millennium Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Goals, the All In to End the Adolescent AIDS Epidemic Strategic Framework, and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 strategy, have been initiated

  • This paper examines the challenges of adolescent (People aged 10-19 years) participation in HIV prevention in developing countries using the McNairy and El-Sadr HIV prevention continuum (HPC) framework as a backdrop

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Summary

Introduction

As of 2019, about 1.7 million people were newly infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), approximately 38 million were living with HIV, and an estimated 690,000 died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) related causes globally.[1]. Inhabited by about 16 % of the world’s population, SSA accounts for over two-thirds of all the people living with HIV, with countries in Eastern Africa (Kenya,Tanzania, Uganda) and Southern Africa (Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland) bearing over 50% of the burden. Home to only 5% of the world’s population, Eastern and Southern Africa account for over 60% of all children and adolescents (0-19 years) living with HIV globally.[2]. HIV prevention frameworks, including that by McNairy and El-Sadr, have been developed and proposed. While these efforts have contributed to reducing HIV prevalence, they have focused primarily on adults and children. This paper examines the challenges of adolescent (People aged 10-19 years) participation in HIV prevention in developing countries using the McNairy and El-Sadr HIV prevention continuum (HPC) framework as a backdrop

Adolescent HIV Risk Factors
Adolescents and the HIV Prevention Continuum
HIV Testing
Linkage to HIV Prevention Services
Retention in HIV Prevention Services
Findings
Conclusion and Implications for Translation

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