Provider-initiated HIV Counseling Research Articles

Optimization of Health Workers in The Implementation of Provider Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC)

Background: Provider Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) is a service offering HIV testing by health workers to all patients in health facilities1. The quality of PITC services that do not meet standards is still a problem, thus becoming an obstacle to PITC services. This causes PITC user satisfaction to be low. The aim of this research is to determine efforts to optimize health workers in the implementation of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC). This systematic research was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method to assess, review and synthesize research. Search through the database by entering the keywords "HIV", "HIV test", "Provider initiated HIV testing and counseling" "PITC", on PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest. 9 research journals were selected after going through specified stages. Barriers for health workers are high workload, lack of human resources and not all health workers are trained in PITC. Optimizing PITC services in health care settings cannot stand alone, health services that are integrated with other health services require the ability of health workers to be able to offer HIV tests to patients. Optimizing human resources in the health sector can be done by increasing the ability of health workers to carry out PITC through good education and training. The complete implementation of PITC starting from the pretest and posttest will emphasize changes in patient behavior to improve their health status.

Characteristics and communication skills of health professionals in implementing provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) for Indonesian pregnant women

Background: HIV testing for pregnant women is an important test during pregnancy. HIV testing for pregnant women is a way to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the characteristics and communication skills of health professionals while conducting provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) for pregnant women. Methods: This was an observational study with a cross-sectional approach. The study was conducted at 23 public health centres with 80 health professionals who conduct PITC. The data was analysed using the Chi-Square test. Results: There was a correlation between the characteristics and communication skills of respondents. Relationships were observed between respondents trained on PITC and communication with patients during PITC sessions (p=0.002); work experience and non-verbal communication skills (p=0.047), and type of profession of respondents and non-verbal communication skills (p=0.029). Conclusions: Communication skills had a relationship with experienced training on PITC, work experience, and type of profession. Increasing the communication skill of health professionals through work experience and training or education to improve the ability of health professionals in PITC services.

Factors associated with offer and uptake of provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling among men attending healthcare facilities in Moshi Municipality, Northern Tanzania.

HIV Testing and Counseling is a critical entry-point for HIV care, treatment and prevention. Tanzania adopted the WHO recommendations of Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) in 2007 with the aim of increasing early HIV diagnosis and timely access to treatment and support services. However, approximately 55% of men are still unaware of their HIV status. This study aimed to determine the level of PITC uptake and factors associated with PITC availability and uptake among men attending healthcare facilities in Moshi Municipality, Northern Tanzania. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2019 in five selected healthcare facilities in Moshi Municipal, Kilimanjaro region. Exit interviews were conducted with men aged 18 years and above who attended for care in the selected facilities. Modified Poisson regression modelling with robust standard errors were used to determine factors independently associated with being offered and accepting the PITC offer. A total of 562 men participated in this study. The median age of participants at enrollment was 37 (IQR: 26-59) years. Only 58% of participants reported to have been offered provider-initiated HIV counseling. Of these, 83% accepted the offer of HIV testing. Age between 35-59 years (aPR = 1.2; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.0, 1.4; p = 0.033) and having primary education (aPR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.6, 0.9; p = 0.010) were factors independently associated with being offered PITC. Age between 35-59 years (aPR = 0.8; 95% CI: 0.7, 0.9; p = 0.002); having been previously tested for HIV (aPR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.5; p = 0.011) and visiting a health facility twice or more in previous year (aPR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.2, 1.5; p<0.001) were independently associated with uptake of HIV testing. Despite high PITC uptake, about 2 in 5 men attending healthcare facilities in Moshi municipality were not offered the service. Providers should target men aged ≤ 34 years, with primary education, visiting facilities for the first time and who have never been tested for HIV.

Provider-initiated HIV testing uptake and socio-economic status among women in a conflict zone in the Central African Republic: a mixed-methods cross-sectional study

IntroductionIn the Central African Republic (CAR), HIV/AIDS is the main cause of death in women aged 15–49 years. Increased testing coverage is essential in prevention of HIV/AIDS, especially in areas where conflict hinders access to health care. Socio-economic status (SES) has been shown to be associated with HIV testing uptake. We investigated whether “Provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling” (PITC) could be implemented in a family planning clinic in an active conflict zone in the Central African Republic to reach women of reproductive age and assessed whether socioeconomic status was associated with testing uptake.MethodsWomen aged 15–49 years were recruited from a free family planning clinic run by Médecins Sans Frontières in the capital Bangui. An asset-based measurement tool was created based on analysis of qualitative in-depth interviews. Measures of socioeconomic status were constructed from the tool, also by using factor analysis. Logistic regression was used to quantify the association between SES and HIV testing uptake (yes/no), while controlling for potential confounders: age, marital status, number of children, education level and head of household.ResultsA total of 1419 women were recruited during the study period, where 87.7% consented to HIV testing, and 95.5% consented to contraception use. A total of 11.9% had never been tested for HIV previously. Factors negatively associated with HIV testing uptake were: being married (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.3–0.5); living in a household headed by the husband as opposed to by another person (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.3–0.6), and lower age (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.93–0.99). Higher level of education (OR = 1.0, 95% CI 0.97–1.1) and having more children aged under 15 (OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.81–1.1) was not associated with testing uptake. In multivariable regression, testing uptake was lower in the higher SES groups, but the differences were not significant (OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.55–1.18).ConclusionsThe findings show that PITC can be successfully implemented in the patient flow in a family planning clinic, without compromising contraception uptake. Within the PITC framework in a conflict setting, socioeconomic status was not found to be associated with testing uptake in women of reproductive age.

Utilization of provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundProvider-initiated HIV testing, and counseling (PITC) is a service in which health professionals provide HIV testing to all patients in health facilities. Provider-initiated HIV testing, and counseling is an important opportunity for early screening of individuals, and it is fundamental for both HIV treatment and prevention. Although there are studies conducted in different parts of Ethiopia, their findings are variable. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the pooled utilization of PITC in Ethiopia.MethodAll studies conducted on utilization of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling at outpatient departments (OPD), inpatient departments (IPD), antenatal clinic care (ANC), and tuberculosis (TB) clinics in Ethiopia are eligible for these meta-analyses. A systematic search of the literature was conducted by the authors to identify all relevant primary studies. The databases used to search for studies were PubMed, Science Direct, POPLINE, HENARI, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The extracted data were imported into STATA version 14 software for statistical analysis. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joana Briggs Institute (JBI) criteria for prevalence studies. The heterogeneity among all included studies was assessed by I2 statistics and the Cochran’s Q test. Pooled utilization along with its corresponding 95% CI was presented using a forest plot.ResultAbout 1738 studies were retrieved from initial electronic searches using international databases and Google, and a total of 10,676 individual clients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled utilization of PITC in Ethiopia using the random effects model was estimated to be 78.9% (95% CI 73.87–83.85) with a significant level of heterogeneity (I2 = 98.5%; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis conducted on PITC showed the highest percentage among studies conducted in Addis Ababa (93.5%), while lower utilization was identified from a study conducted in the Tigray Region (35%).Limitation of the studyThe drawbacks of this review and meta-analysis were being reported with significant heterogeneity, and the protocol was not registered.ConclusionAbout 21% of health facility clients missed opportunities for PITC in Ethiopia.

Facilitators and barriers to implementing provider-initiated HIV counselling and testing at the clinic-level in Ekurhuleni District, South Africa

BackgroundHIV testing is the entry point into the HIV care continuum and critical for HIV epidemic control. Facility-based HIV testing services (HTS) reach individuals who are already seeking clinical care and engaging with the medical care system. For this reason, individuals diagnosed with HIV during facility-based HIV testing are more likely to continue into HIV care. To increase the number of PLHIV who are diagnosed and initiated on ART, in 2015, the South African Department of Health instituted Provider-Initiated Counselling and Testing (PICT) policy—encouraging healthcare providers to recommend HIV testing, but this strategy remains under-utilized. We aimed to identify key constraints to the normalization of PICT implementation in 10 Ekurhuleni District healthcare facilities in South Africa.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with 40 healthcare workers (28 clinicians and 12 lay counsellors). Health care workers were purposefully selected to participate in the interviews, stratified by health facility and work category. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated for analysis. Thematic analysis was guided by the normalization process theory (NPT). NPT theory explains how practices are routinely embedded within organizational contexts. We used NVivo 10 software for qualitative data management.ResultsBoth clinicians and lay counsellors exhibited a clear understanding of the PICT policy— acknowledging its purpose and value. The identified barrier to normalization of PICT among clinicians was offering HIV testing based on suspicion of HIV despite understanding that PICT involves offering testing to all clients. Additionally, clinicians perceived PICT as incongruent with their clinical roles and perceived it to be lay counsellors’ responsibility. The main facilitator was the participation of all healthcare workers, specifically the presence of lay counsellors, although they also faced barriers such as a lack of workspace and under-appreciation.ConclusionsUse of NPT helped identify barriers that prevent the normalization of PITC and its integration into routine patient care. These barriers can be modified by low-cost interventions that promote congruence of PICT to the roles of clinicians and integrate the role of lay counsellors within the patient flow in the facility.

Concerns about starting antiretroviral treatment among pregnant women in Lesotho

ABSTRACT The recommendation to start antiretroviral treatment independently of CD4 or viral load count is adopted as a strategy for reducing HIV/AIDS incidence rates in countries with a high prevalence rate, such as Lesotho. For example, the number of new HIV infections has lowered from 20,000 in 2010 to 11,000 in 2018 [UNAIDS Country Factsheets. (2019). https://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/lesotho]. Lesotho introduced the ‘test and treat’ strategy in 2013 to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic, representing a shift from the provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling guidelines. The purpose of this paper was to understand pregnant women’s concerns about starting antiretroviral treatment to limit risks of mother-to-child HIV-transmission during the implementation of ‘test and treat’ protocol in Lesotho. The study used a qualitative research approach and collected information from Lesotho public antenatal clinics. In-depth interviews were conducted with eighteen pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS and data were analysed manually following the constructivist grounded theory. Findings reveal the sadness experienced at the diagnosis stage, concerns about accessing treatment and maintaining adherence, and concerns about disclosure. It was concluded that these factors stemmed from fears about triggering enacted stigma in the illness experience of pregnant women, which could hamper the implementation of the ‘test and treat’ protocol in Lesotho.

Does facility readiness promote high-quality of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling to pregnant women? A national survey for improving policy of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Tanzania

BackgroundProvider-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.MethodsThis 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.ResultsOut 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]).ConclusionIn 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.

Improving inpatient provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling in Sierra Leone.

Only 47% of HIV-positive Sierra Leoneans knew their status in 2017, making expanded HIV testing a priority. National guidelines endorse provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) to increase testing coverage, but PITC is rarely provided in Sierra Leone. In response, a Quality Improvement Collaborative (QIC) was implemented to improve PITC coverage amongst adult inpatients. Ten hospitals received the intervention between October 2017 and August 2018; there were no control facilites. Each hospital aimed to improve PITC coverage to ≥ 95% of eligible patients. Staff received training on PITC and QIC methods and a package of PITC best practices and tools. They then worked to identify additional contextually-appropriate interventions, conducted rapid tests of change, and tracked performance using shared indicators and time-series data. Supportive supervision bolstered QI skills, and quarterly meetings enabled diffusion of innovations while spurring friendly competition. Baseline PITC coverage was 4%. The hospital teams tested diverse interventions using QI methods, including staff training; data review meetings; enhanced workflow processes and supervision; and patient education and sensitization activities Nine hospitals reached and sustained the 95% target, and all saw rapid and durable improvement, which was sustained for a median of six months. Of the 5,238 patients tested for HIV, 311 (6%) were found to be HIV-positive and were referred for treatment. HIV rapid test kit stockouts occurred during the project period, limiting PITC services in some cases. The intervention led to swift and sustained improvement in inpatient PITC coverage and to the diagnosis of hundreds of people living with HIV. Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health and Sanitation plans to take the initiative to national scale, with close attention to the issue of test kit stockouts.

Patient acceptance of HIV testing services in rural emergency departments in South Africa.

BackgroundSouth Africa faces the highest burden of HIV infection globally. The National Strategic Plan on HIV recommends provider-initiated HIV counselling and testing (HCT) in all healthcare facilities. However, HIV continues to overwhelm the healthcare system. Emergency department (ED)-based HCT could address unmet testing needs.ObjectivesThis study examines the reasons for accepting or declining HCT in South African EDs to inform the development of HCT implementation strategies.MethodWe conducted a prospective observational study in two rural EDs, from June to September 2017. Patients presenting to the ED were systematically approached and offered a point-of-care test in accordance with national guidelines. Patients demographics, presenting compaint, medical history and reasons for accepting/declining testing, were recorded. A pooled analysis is presented.ResultsAcross sites, 2074 adult, non-critical patients in the ED were approached; 1880 were enrolled in the study. Of those enrolled, 19.7% had a previously known positive diagnosis, and 80.3% were unaware of their HIV status. Of those unaware, 90% patients accepted and 10% declined testing. The primary reasons for declining testing were ‘does not want to know status’ (37.6%), ‘in too much pain’ (34%) and ‘does not believe they are at risk’ (19.9%).ConclusionsDespite national guidelines, a high proportion of individuals remain undiagnosed, of which a majority are young men. Our study demonstrated high patient acceptance of ED-based HCT. There is a need for investment and innovation regarding effective pain management and confidential service delivery to address patient barriers. Findings support a routine, non-targeted HCT strategy in EDs.

Optimizing PMTCT efforts by repeat HIV testing during antenatal and perinatal care in resource-limited settings: A longitudinal assessment of HIV seroconversion.

BackgroundMother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV remains a challenge in resource-limited settings. Central to elimination of MTCT is effective Provider Initiated HIV Counseling and Testing (PICT). Research has shown that conducting PICT only at the initial antenatal care (ANC) visit fails to benefit pregnant women who seroconvert later in their pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the most cost effective time to perform repeat HIV testing during ANC and perinatal care (PNC).MethodsWe studied the repeat HIV testing results of pregnant women ≥ 18 and adolescent girls aged 15–17 in the Sauri, Kenya Millennium Villages Project (MVP) site. Nurses provided HIV screening to 1,403 expectant women and 256 adolescent girls following the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th ANC visits, at birth and 6 and 14 weeks postpartum.ResultsFive women seroconverted during the study period (incidence proportion 0.41%). One woman seroconverted at the 2nd ANC visit, another one at the 3rd, two at the 4th and one at 6 weeks post-partum. Of all the women who seroconverted, four reported an HIV negative primary partner, while one reported an unknown partner status. None of the participants reported condom use during pregnancy. Two of the seroconverters vertically transmitted HIV to their babies. The results did not suggest a clear pattern of seroconversion during ANC and PNC.ConclusionsThe low rates of seroconversion suggest that testing pregnant women multiple times during ANC and PNC may not be cost effective, but a follow-up test during birth may be protective of the newborn.

Practices and Obstacles to Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) Among Healthcare Providers in C\xf4te d\u2019Ivoire

Practices of Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) remains suboptimal in Côte d’Ivoire. The aim of this survey was to identify the practices and obstacles to PITC among healthcare professionals in Côte d'Ivoire. A nationally representative cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2018 by telephone among three separate samples of midwives, nurses and physicians practicing in Côte d'Ivoire. The number of HIV tests proposed during consultation in the month preceding the survey was collected for each professional. Factors associated with the number of proposed tests were identified through ordinal logistic regression models. A total of 298 midwives, 308 nurses and 289 physicians were interviewed. Midwives proposed the test more frequently, followed by nurses and physicians. Among midwives, a higher number of proposed tests was associated with the perception that HIV testing does not require specific consent compared to other diseases (aOR 4.00 [95% CI 1.37–14.29]). Among nurses, having received HIV training and the presence of community HIV counselors were associated with a higher number of proposed tests (aOR 2.01 [1.31–3.09] and aOR 1.75 [1.14–2.70], respectively). For physicians, the presence of a voluntary testing center was associated with a higher number of proposed tests (aOR 1.69 [1.01–2.86]). PITC practices and barriers differed across professions. Beyond improving environmental opportunities such as dedicated staff or services, strengthening the motivations and capabilities of healthcare professionals to propose testing could improve PITC coverage.

Increasing the Offer, Shifting the Offer: Patients' Perspectives on Routinely Offering HIV Counseling and POC Testing in the Health Services Program of an Urban Community Health Centre.

Objectives: Canadian epidemiologic data demonstrate the fallibility of established HIV testing approaches to reach, diagnose, and link to care a significant portion of the population thereby contributing to missed opportunities to reduce onward HIV transmission. Increasing and diversifying entry points to accessing HIV testing may be a successful strategy to reach people who remain undiagnosed. We sought to determine the perspectives of patients on the acceptability of an offer of routine non-targeted provider-initiated HIV counseling and point-of-care (POC) testing in the health services program of a Community Health Centre in downtown Ottawa, the capital of Canada.Methods: Patients aged 18 years and over accessing the Health Services Program for scheduled clinical appointments were approached by research staff with the offer of a POC HIV test with pre- and post-test counseling. All patients accepting the offer and those declining the offer were offered the opportunity to complete an Acceptability Questionnaire.Results: Questionnaire responses from eligible patients over four consecutive weeks in 2018 strongly endorse the acceptability of an offer of an HIV test in the context of their scheduled health services appointment for a separate clinical condition. This contention held both for those patients accepting the offer and proceeding to testing and for those patients declining the offer.Conclusions: The perspectives of the patients in our study demonstrate that a routine offer of non-targeted provider-initiated HIV counseling and POC testing was considered not only to be an acceptable, but also an appropriate and welcome intervention in a community health services program. These results suggest the potential for actively engaging more individuals—including those less likely to be engaged through a targeted testing approach—in the documented benefits of the HIV care and treatment cascade by increasing the HIV test offer through routine provider initiation. In addition, at the population level, shifting the offer through venue diversification, similarly shows potential for reducing engagement in ongoing HIV transmission behaviors and practices attributed to those unaware of their HIV positive status. Both outcomes fundamental to the goal of eliminating AIDS by 2030.

Utilization of Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling as an Intervention for PMTCT Services Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in a Teaching Hospital in Ethiopia.

Purpose: Little is known about acceptance of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PICT) as an intervention for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia. This study aimed at assessing the utilization and acceptance rate of PICT as an intervention for PMTCT among pregnant women attending University of Gondar referral and teaching hospital (UoGRTH), Ethiopia.Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 364 pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic at UoGRTH through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Frequencies, means, and percentages were used to report different variables. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to come up with factors associated with acceptance of PICT services.Results: Out of 364 respondents, 298 330 (81.7%) of them accepted provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling. Rural residency (AOR: 364, 95% CI: 2.17–6.34), higher educational status (AOR: 3.15, 95% CI: 1.86–6.82), planning of HIV test disclosure to male partners (AOR: 7.81, 95% CI: 3.17–13.14), and a higher average monthly income (AOR: 4.01, 95% CI: 2.32–7.61) were found to be strong predictors of acceptance of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling.Conclusions: The present study revealed a higher rate of acceptance of PICT among pregnant women. Enhancing access to and consistent use of antenatal care service among pregnant women and encouraging the active involvement of male partners are recommended to further increase the uptake of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling.

Effect of organizational models of provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC) in health facilities on adult HIV testing coverage in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this paper is to identify which Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) organizational models are the most efficient to maximize testing coverage. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify published articles that evaluated routine PITC programs implemented in adult health facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa. We considered only articles measuring PITC offer, PITC acceptability and PITC coverage. Adjusted meta-regression models were performed to measure the association between PITC offer, acceptability and coverage with PITC organizational model. A total of 30 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, 85.4% [95%CI: 77.2–93.5] of patients were offered a test, and 87.1% [82.4–91.7] accepted the test resulting in a PITC coverage of 74.3% [66–82.6]. Four types of PITC organizational models were identified: PITC initiated and performed during the consultation (model A), PITC initiated before consultation (model B), PITC referred on-site (model C) and PITC referred off-site (model D). Compared to model A, model B had a similar coverage (aOR: 1.02 [0.82–1.26]). However, coverage was lower for model C (aOR: 0.81 [0.68–0.97]) and model D (aOR: 0.58 [0.44–0.77]). Initiating the testing process before or during medical consultation is recommended for maximizing testing coverage among patients.

Methods, outcomes, and costs of a 2.5 year comprehensive facility-and community-based HIV testing intervention in Bukoba Municipal Council, Tanzania, 2014-2017.

To diagnose ≥90% HIV-infected residents (diagnostic coverage), the Bukoba Combination Prevention Evaluation (BCPE) implemented provider-initiated (PITC), home- (HBHTC), and venue-based (VBHTC) HIV testing and counseling (HTC) intervention in Bukoba Municipal Council, a mixed urban and rural lake zone community of 150,000 residents in Tanzania. This paper describes the methods, outcomes, and incremental costs of these HTC interventions. PITC was implemented in outpatient department clinics in all eight public and three faith-based health facilities. In clinics, lay counselors routinely screened and referred eligible patients for HIV testing conducted by HTC-dedicated healthcare workers. In all 14 wards, community teams offered HTC to eligible persons encountered at 31,293 home visits and at 79 male- and youth-frequented venues. HTC was recommended for persons who were not in HIV care or had not tested in the prior 90 days. BCPE conducted 133,695 HIV tests during the 2.5 year intervention (PITC: 88,813, 66%; HBHTC: 27,407, 21%; VBHTC: 17,475, 13%). Compared with other strategies, PITC conducted proportionally more tests among females (65%), and VBHTC conducted proportionally more tests among males (69%) and young-adults aged 15–24 years (42%). Of 5,550 (4.2% of all tests) HIV-positive tests, 4,143 (75%) clients were newly HIV diagnosed, including 1,583 males and 881 young adults aged 15–24 years. Of HIV tests conducted 3.7%, 1.8%, and 2.1% of PITC, HBHTC, and VBHTC clients, respectively, were newly HIV diagnosed; PITC accounted for 79% of all new diagnoses. Cost per test (per new diagnosis) was $4.55 ($123.66), $6.45 ($354.44), and $7.98 ($372.67) for PITC, HBHTC, and VBHTC, respectively. In a task-shifting analysis in which lay counselors replaced healthcare workers, estimated costs per test (per new diagnosis) would have been $3.06 ($83.15), $ 4.81 ($264.04), and $5.45 ($254.52), for PITC, HBHTC, and VBHTC, respectively. BCPE models reached different target groups, including men and young adults, two groups with consistently low coverage. Implementation of multiple models is likely necessary to achieve ≥90% diagnostic coverage.

Reaching the First 90: Improving Inpatient Pediatric Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling Using a Quality Improvement Collaborative Strategy in Tanzania.

Reaching the First 90: Improving Inpatient Pediatric Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling Using a Quality Improvement Collaborative Strategy in Tanzania.

Determinants of provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling uptake at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kisumu, Kenya

INTRODUCTION&#x0D; The HIV/AIDS burden persists in sub-Saharan Africa despite preventive efforts. In Kenya, the HIV prevalence in Kisumu county (19.9%) is triple the national rate (5.9%). Provider-initiated testing and counselling (PITC) is among the best strategies for HIV prevention. The model entails HIV testing of individuals presenting themselves to health facilities for routine medical services. Though introduced in most healthcare facilities in Kenya, the uptake of PITC and determinants of uptake have not been established. The main objective of this study was to establish the determinants of PITC uptake by patients seeking healthcare services at the Jaramogi Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital.&#x0D; METHODS&#x0D; This was a cross-sectional study involving a systematic random sample of patients seeking services at the hospital.&#x0D; RESULTS&#x0D; Of 291 participants, 53% were females and 70% were aged between 18 and 35 years. Participants aged 36-45 years were less likely to accept PITC services than those aged 18-25 years (unadjusted odds ratio (uOR)=0.28, 95% CI [0.14-0.59]). Employment (uOR=1.81, 95% CI [1.09-3.01]) and having a friendly relationship with the provider (uOR=3.35, 95% CI [1.41-7.92]) were significantly associated with PITC uptake. Patients who reported having a friendly relationship with the staff were more likely to report PITC uptake (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.75, 95% CI [1.58-14.31]).&#x0D; CONCLUSION&#x0D; Interventions should encourage facilities to improve staff-patient relationships to increase uptake of PITC services.

Feasibility of an internet-based HIV testing service: anonymous urine collection from men who have sex with men

ABSTRACTA large proportion of people who are HIV positive do not know their serostatus because facility-based provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling, and voluntary counseling and testing, have not been efficiently implemented in China. Therefore, a new HIV testing strategy must be developed to improve testing services so that more HIV infections can be detected earlier. In this study, we established an anonymous internet-aided urine-based HIV testing service for men who have sex with men (MSM) from 1 April 2016 to 20 January 2017. In total, 3092 urine sample collection packs were distributed by grassroots organizations to MSM; 1977 (69.3%) packs were mailed back to the laboratory; and 1911 (96.7%) eligible samples were tested for HIV antibody. The rate of HIV antibody positivity was 7.1% (135/1901), excluding 10 previously-identified HIV infections. Of those tested, 65.4% (1243/1901) participants obtained their results from our website, 94 (69.6%) of 135 newly-identified urine HIV antibody-positive participants were contacted by CDC staff, and 61.7% (58/94) reported undergoing blood HIV antibody confirmation testing after learning of their urine HIV antibody test results. Of those who were tested for venous HIV antibody, 84.5% (49/58) reported being confirmed HIV antibody positive. Thirty-six of the newly diagnosed participants were successfully referred to a hospital to receive antiretroviral therapy. The rate of confirmed HIV antibody positivity was estimated to be 72.8–89.2 times of that of routine HIV antibody testing. In conclusion, this approach offers an alternative efficient HIV testing strategy to identify HIV positive persons in vulnerable populations.

Unknown HIV Infection Prevalence and Associated Factors: Findings from A University Teaching Hospital in Tanzania

Background: Early detection and effective treatment with antiretroviral drugs would help preserve/improve the immune system, ameliorate quality of life of persons with HIV/AIDS and prevent unintentional spread of the virus. To that end provider initiated HIV counseling and testing (PIHCT) is recommended as standard of care for all patients attending health facilities in HIV endemic countries. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and factors associated with unknown HIV infection among medical admissions at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) as an indicator of PIHTC practice in Dares salaam, Tanzania. Methods: Patients newly hospitalized into MNH medical wards with unknown HIV sero-status were recruited in this hospital based cross sectional study. Patients were interviewed, examined, counseled and tested for HIV. CD4+ T lymphocytes count was determined for HIV positive and patients were followed up to determine in hospital outcome and duration of stay. Results: Of the 505 patients with unknown HIV status, 30 (5.9%) tested positive for HIV and all of them had visited another health facility before being referred to MNH compared to 78.5% among those who tested negative (p=0.004). More than two thirds (66.7%) of the newly diagnosed HIV patients had advanced disease. But, history of chronic diarrhea and/or severe weight loss, severe wasting (Slim disease) common features of AIDS in the 1980s were not apparent despite the late clinical presentation. Patients presenting with fever, oral ulcers, oral candidiasis, altered mental status, generalized lymphadenopathy were more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection. Age of ≥50 years had a negative correlation towards a new diagnosis of HIV infection. Conclusion: Over 85% of medical patients referred to MNH did not know their HIV status. Newly diagnosed HIV sero-positive patients did not present with AIDS defining illnesses although over two thirds of them had advanced disease and in hospital mortality was high.