Outcomes of a model for re-testing HIV-negative index contacts in Sedibeng, South Africa
Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Outcomes of a model for re-testing HIV-negative index contacts in Sedibeng, South Africa | |
| Creator | Phiri, Ditebogo L. Rees, Kate Davis, Natasha | |
| Description | Background: Index contact testing is an HIV case-finding approach that elicits sexual or needle-sharing partners, as well as biological children, of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and offers them HIV testing services.Objectives: We aim to describe the results of an innovative project in Sedibeng District that expanded index testing by retesting previously negative contacts and incorporating status-neutral testing.Method: We used registers to identify people who previously tested HIV-negative through index testing from March 2019 to September 2021. The individuals were telephonically traced and offered HIV retesting. Data were collected on a weekly basis using REDCap®. We monitored the number of individuals called, those who came back for retest, and their HIV results.Results: Fifteen counsellors contacted 968 people over 12 months. Forty-eight percent (462 out of 968) of those called returned for testing. Of those, 121 (26%) tested positive. Overall, 66 out of 276 (24%) men with HIV and 55 out of 186 (30%) women with HIV were identified and linked to antiretroviral treatment (ART). Fifty-seven percent (194 out of 341) of clients who tested HIV-negative were offered, and 124 out of 194 (64%) initiated, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). All individuals who retested HIV-positive had a new diagnosis; none reported having had another positive test result between the original negative and the positive retest.Conclusion: Revisiting index clients with a previous negative HIV test result is worthwhile, creating an opportunity to identify undiagnosed PLHIV and high-risk people for PrEP. The high positivity rate highlights the importance of providing a sero-neutral approach to HIV testing, including integrating prevention messaging and linkage to PrEP services. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2023-05-29 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajhivmed.v24i1.1482 | |
| Source | Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine; Vol 24, No 1 (2023); 6 pages 2078-6751 1608-9693 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1482/3066
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1482/3067
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1482/3068
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1482/3070
https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1482/3069
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