Category Archives: Testing
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...
Uptake of couples HIV testing and counselling among heterosexual couples in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
There is a need for further research to inform policy and practice on Couples HIV Testing and Counselling (CHTC) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The aim of this systematic review and...
Performance of non-laboratory staff for diagnostic testing and specimen collection in HIV programs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: In most high HIV burden countries, many HIV patients do not have reliable access to required diagnostic laboratory tests. Task shifting of clinical tasks to lower cadres of health...
How effective are approaches to migrant screening for infectious diseases in Europe? A systematic review
Rates of migration to Europe, and within Europe, have increased in recent years, with considerable implications for health systems. Migrants in Europe face a disproportionate burden of tuberculosis, HIV, and...
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...
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...
Suboptimal recent and regular HIV testing among Black men who have sex with men in the United States: Implications from a meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: The continuum of HIV care among black men who have sex with men (BMSM) continues to be the least favorable in the United States. BMSM are disproportionally HIV-infected-but-unaware, despite...
