Uptake and Yield of HIV Testing and Counselling among Children and Adolescents in SubSaharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Posted by Share-Net NL on December 21, 2015 at 12:28 pm



ournal of the International AIDS Society (October 2015), 18(1): 20182, doi: 10.7448/IAS.18.1.20182

This electronic review of literature on HIV testing and counseling (HTC) among children and adolescents (5–19 years) from 2010 to 2013 investigated the acceptability, yield, and prevalence of different HTC strategies for this group in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A total of 21 studies across eight countries (Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) were included. Seven studies used provider-initiated testing and counselling (PITC) in either inpatient or outpatient settings. Six studies were conducted in the context of seroprevalence surveys; of these, two provided HTC in the home environment, and four used a mobile or outreach approach. Four studies reported data from mass testing campaigns that used outreach or home-based strategies. A family-centered approach was used in five studies, and one study reported results from a school-linked testing campaign among primary schoolchildren aged 5–11 years. The authors reported that acceptance, yield, and prevalence were highest when testing was offered in inpatient settings (86.3%, 12.2%, and 15.4%, respectively) and outpatient settings (69.5%, 7.4%, and 11.3%) as part of PITC. Outreach HTC strategies had the lowest acceptance (60.4%), yield (0.6%), and prevalence (1.3%). The authors concluded that HTC approaches delivered within communities outside of a health care facility have a high acceptance among this priority age group.

Author: Govindasamy, D.; Ferrand, R.A.; Wilmore, S.M.
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