Community‐led HIV testing services including HIV self‐testing and assisted partner notification services in Vietnam: lessons from a pilot study in a concentrated epidemic setting

Autor: Rachel Baggaley, Quang-Thong Nguyen, Son H Vo, Duong C. Thanh, Cheryl Johnson, Huong Tt Phan, Masaya Kato, Van Thi Thuy Nguyen, Kim Anh Le Ai
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
partner notification
HIV Infections
Pilot Projects
Hiv testing
medicine.disease_cause
Men who have sex with men
03 medical and health sciences
Sexual and Gender Minorities
Young Adult
0302 clinical medicine
self‐testing
medicine
Humans
Mass Screening
030212 general & internal medicine
Community Health Services
Homosexuality
Male
Epidemics
key and vulnerable populations
Research Articles
030505 public health
Risk behaviour
lay provider
Sex Workers
Social network
business.industry
Public Health
Environmental and Occupational Health
HIV
Partner notification
Antiretroviral therapy
Test (assessment)
Self Care
Infectious Diseases
Sexual Partners
Vietnam
Family medicine
community
Feasibility Studies
Female
Contact Tracing
0305 other medical science
business
Research Article
Zdroj: Journal of the International AIDS Society
ISSN: 1758-2652
Popis: Introduction The HIV epidemic in Vietnam is concentrated in key populations and their partners – people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, sex workers and partners of people living with HIV. These groups have poor access to and uptake of conventional HIV testing services (HTS). To address this gap, lay provider‐ and self‐testing and assisted partner notification (aPN) were introduced and delivered by the community. We explored the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing aPN as part of community testing services for key populations. Methods Lay provider testing and self‐testing was started in January 2017, and targeted key populations and their partners. Since July 2017, aPN was introduced. HTS was offered at drop‐in houses or coffee shops in Thai Nguyen and Can Tho provinces. All self‐testing was assisted and observed by peer educators. Both in‐person and social network methods were used to mobilize key populations to test for HIV and offer HTS to partners of people living with HIV. Client‐level data, including demographic information and self‐reported risk behaviour, were collected on site by peer educators. Results Between January 2017 and May 2018, 3978 persons from key populations were tested through community‐led HTS; 66.7% were first‐time testers. Of the 3978 clients, 3086 received HTS from a lay provider and 892 self‐tested in the presence of a lay provider. Overall, 245 (6.2% of tested clients) had reactive results, 231 (94.3%) were confirmed to be HIV positive; 215/231 (93.1%) initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART). Of 231 adult HIV‐positive clients, 186 (80.5%) were provided voluntary aPN, and 105 of their partners were contacted and received HTS. The ratio of partners who tested for HIV per index client was 0.56. Forty‐four (41.9%) partners of index clients receiving HTS were diagnosed with HIV, 97.7% initiated ART during the study period. No social harm was identified or reported. Conclusions Including aPN as part of community‐led HTS for key populations and their partners is feasible and effective, particularly for reaching first‐time testers and undiagnosed HIV clients. Scale‐up of aPN within community‐led HTS for key populations is essential for achieving the United Nations 90‐90‐90 targets in Vietnam.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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