Category Archives: Testing
Scaling up HIV self-testing in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of technology, policy and evidence
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: HIV self-testing (HIVST) can provide complementary coverage to existing HIV testing services and improve knowledge of status among HIV-infected individuals. This review summarizes the current technology, policy...
Strategies to link people with undiagnosed HIV infection to HIV testing, care, and prevention services
Key take-home messages A variety of strategies have shown promise for identifying individuals with undiagnosed HIV and engaging them with HIV testing using clinical, community-based, network-based, and self-directed approaches. Various...
Which community-based HIV initiatives are effective in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets? A systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence (2007-2018)
BACKGROUND: Reaching the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets to end the HIV epidemic relies on effective interventions that engage untested HIV+ individuals and retain them in...
Systematic review of the performance and clinical utility of point of care HIV-1 RNA testing for diagnosis and care
BACKGROUND: Point of-care (POC) HIV-1 RNA tests which are accurate and easy to use with limited infrastructure are needed in resource-limited settings (RLS). We systematically reviewed evidence of POC test...
Are policy initiatives aligned to meet UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets impacting HIV testing and linkages to care? Evidence from a systematic review
Background: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Fast-Track initiative seeks to eliminate AIDS as a health threat by 2030, with its focus on UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. Effective policies and...
Effect of organizational models of provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC) in health facilities on adult HIV testing coverage in sub-Saharan Africa
The 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...
Crowdsourcing to improve HIV and sexual health outcomes: A scoping review
Purpose of review: This review synthesizes evidence on the use of crowdsourcing to improve HIV/sexual health outcomes. Recent findings: We identified 15 studies, including four completed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one planned...
Integration of HIV testing services into family planning services: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: Despite significant interest in integrating sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services into HIV services, less attention has been paid to linkages in the other direction. Where women and girls...
Retest and treat: A review of national HIV retesting guidelines to inform elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission (EMTCT) efforts
INTRODUCTION: High maternal HIV incidence contributes substantially to mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) in some settings. Since 2006, HIV retesting during the third trimester and breastfeeding has been recommended by the...
Healthcare workers’ perspectives on the barriers to providing HIV services to children in sub-Saharan Africa
Background: In order to accelerate the HIV response to meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90 indicators for children, healthcare workers need to lead a scale-up of HIV services in primary healthcare settings....
Understanding how, why, for whom, and under what circumstances opt-out blood-borne virus testing programmes work to increase test engagement and uptake within prison: A rapid-realist review
BACKGROUND: Prisons represent a unique opportunity to diagnose blood-borne viruses. Opt-out testing is receiving increasing interest, as a result of mounting evidence to suggest that the manner in which a...
