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Choong A, Lyu YM, Johnson CC, Baggaley R, Barr-DiChiara M, Jamil MS, Siegfried NL, Fairley CK, Chow EPF, Macdonald V, Ong JJ. Social network-based approaches to HIV testing: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int AIDS Soc 2024; 27:e26353. [PMID: 39252193 PMCID: PMC11386243 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.26353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social network-based testing approaches (SNAs) encourage individuals ("test promoters") to motivate sexual partners and/or those in their social networks to test for HIV. We conducted a systematic review to examine the effectiveness, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of SNA. METHODS We searched five databases from January 2010 to May 2023, and included studies that compared SNA with non-SNA. We used random-effects meta-analysis to combine effect estimates. Certainty was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS We identified 47 studies. SNA may increase uptake of HIV testing compared to non-SNA (RR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.06-3.95, Low certainty). The proportion of first-time testers was probably higher among partners or social contacts of test promoters using SNA compared to non-SNA (RR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.22-1.81, Moderate certainty). The proportion of people who tested positive for HIV may be higher among partners or social contacts of test promoters using SNA compared to non-SNA (RR 1.84, 95% CI: 1.01-3.35, Low certainty). There were no reports of any adverse events or harms associated with SNA. Based on six cost-effectiveness studies, SNA was generally cheaper per person tested and per person diagnosed compared to non-SNA. Based on 23 qualitative studies, SNA is likely to be acceptable to a variety of populations. DISCUSSION Our review collated evidence for SNA to HIV testing covering the key populations and the general population who may benefit from HIV testing. We summarized evidence for the effectiveness, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of different models of SNA. While we did not identify an ideal model of SNA that could be immediately scaled up, for each setting and population targeted, we recommend various implementation considerations as our meta-analysis showed the effectiveness might differ due to factors which include the testing modality (i.e. use of HIV self-testing), type of test promoters, long or short duration of recruitment and use of financial incentives. CONCLUSIONS Social network-based approaches may enhance HIV testing uptake, increase the proportion of first-time testers and those testing positive for HIV. Heterogeneity among studies highlights the need for context-specific adaptations, but the overall positive impact of SNA on HIV testing outcomes could support its integration into existing HIV testing services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Choong
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yi Ming Lyu
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cheryl C Johnson
- Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rachel Baggaley
- Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Muhammad S Jamil
- Regional Office to the Eastern Mediterranean, World Health Organization, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Christopher K Fairley
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eric P F Chow
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Virginia Macdonald
- Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jason J Ong
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Mody A, Sohn AH, Iwuji C, Tan RKJ, Venter F, Geng EH. HIV epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and implementation strategies for public health. Lancet 2024; 403:471-492. [PMID: 38043552 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)01381-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The global HIV response has made tremendous progress but is entering a new phase with additional challenges. Scientific innovations have led to multiple safe, effective, and durable options for treatment and prevention, and long-acting formulations for 2-monthly and 6-monthly dosing are becoming available with even longer dosing intervals possible on the horizon. The scientific agenda for HIV cure and remission strategies is moving forward but faces uncertain thresholds for success and acceptability. Nonetheless, innovations in prevention and treatment have often failed to reach large segments of the global population (eg, key and marginalised populations), and these major disparities in access and uptake at multiple levels have caused progress to fall short of their potential to affect public health. Moving forward, sharper epidemiologic tools based on longitudinal, person-centred data are needed to more accurately characterise remaining gaps and guide continued progress against the HIV epidemic. We should also increase prioritisation of strategies that address socio-behavioural challenges and can lead to effective and equitable implementation of existing interventions with high levels of quality that better match individual needs. We review HIV epidemiologic trends; advances in HIV prevention, treatment, and care delivery; and discuss emerging challenges for ending the HIV epidemic over the next decade that are relevant for general practitioners and others involved in HIV care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaloke Mody
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Annette H Sohn
- TREAT Asia, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Collins Iwuji
- Department of Global Health and Infection, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK; Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Rayner K J Tan
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Francois Venter
- Ezintsha, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Elvin H Geng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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Loeb TA, McFall AM, Srikrishnan AK, Anand S, Vasudevan CK, Mehta SH, Solomon SS. Integration of a geospatially targeted community-based testing approach with respondent-driven sampling to identify people who inject drugs living with HIV and HCV in Patti and Gorakhpur, India. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 247:109874. [PMID: 37087926 PMCID: PMC10612114 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a network recruitment approach, is effective at reaching people who inject drugs (PWID), but other strategies may be needed to reach PWID at risk or living with HIV and/or Hepatitis C (HCV). We examined the impact of integrating geospatially targeted community-based HIV/HCV testing with an RDS survey. METHODS PWID were recruited between 2019 and 2021 in Patti and Gorakhpur, India, in a two-phased approach for identifying PWID living with HIV/HCV. Phase 1 was an RDS survey, in which participants reported injection venues. Venues with the highest prevalence of HIV/HCV viremia were selected for Phase 2: community-based testing. All participants underwent rapid HIV and HCV testing and viral load quantification. Using Pearson's chi-squared test, two-sided exact significance tests, and t-tests, we compared prevalence and identification rates for each of the primary outcomes: the number of PWID 1) living with HIV/HCV, 2) undiagnosed, and 3) viremic. RESULTS Both approaches identified large numbers of PWID (n∼500 each; N=2011) who were living with HIV/HCV and had transmission potential (i.e., detectable viremia). The community-based approach identified a higher proportion of individuals living with HCV (76.4% vs. 69.6% in Gorakhpur and 36.3% vs. 29.0% in Patti). Community-based testing was also faster at identifying PWID with detectable HIV viremia. Both approaches identified PWID with varying demographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Community-based testing was more efficient than RDS overall, but both may be required to reach PWID of varying characteristics. Surveillance should collect data on injection venues to facilitate community-based testing and maximize case identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia A Loeb
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Allison M McFall
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Santhanam Anand
- YR Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Chennai, India
| | | | - Shruti H Mehta
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sunil S Solomon
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
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Young J, Ablona A, Klassen BJ, Higgins R, Kim J, Lavoie S, Knight R, Lachowsky NJ. Implementing community-based Dried Blood Spot (DBS) testing for HIV and hepatitis C: a qualitative analysis of key facilitators and ongoing challenges. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1085. [PMID: 35642034 PMCID: PMC9158154 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13525-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In 2018, the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) invited gay, bisexual, trans, queer men and Two-Spirit and non-binary people (GBT2Q) at Pride Festivals across Canada to complete in-person Sex Now surveys and provide optional dried blood spot (DBS) samples screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). As there is a lack of research evaluating the implementation of DBS sampling for GBT2Q in community settings, we aimed to evaluate this intervention, identifying key facilitators and ongoing challenges to implementing community-based DBS screening for HIV/HCV among GBT2Q. Methods We conducted sixteen one-on-one interviews with individuals involved with the community-based DBS collection protocol, including research staff, site coordinators, and volunteer DBS collectors. Most individuals involved with DBS collection were “peers” (GBT2Q-identified). The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided our data collection and analysis. Results Interviewees felt that DBS collection was a low-barrier, cost-effective, and simple way for peers to quickly screen a large number of Sex Now respondents. Interviewees also noted that the community and peer-based aspects of the research helped drive recruitment of Sex Now respondents. Most interviewees felt that the provision of results took too long, and that some Sex Now respondents would have preferred to receive their test results immediately (e.g., rapid or point-of-care testing). Conclusion Peer-based DBS sampling can be an effective and relatively simple way to screen GBT2Q at Pride Festivals for more than one sexually transmitted and blood borne infection. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13525-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Young
- Community-Based Research Centre, 1007-808 Nelson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2H2, Canada.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Aidan Ablona
- Community-Based Research Centre, 1007-808 Nelson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2H2, Canada
| | - Benjamin J Klassen
- Community-Based Research Centre, 1007-808 Nelson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2H2, Canada
| | - Rob Higgins
- Community-Based Research Centre, 1007-808 Nelson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2H2, Canada.,School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - John Kim
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - Stephanie Lavoie
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - Rod Knight
- British Columbia Centre On Substance Use, Providence Health Care, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 317-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Nathan J Lachowsky
- Community-Based Research Centre, 1007-808 Nelson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2H2, Canada. .,School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada.
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