Piloting an integrated HIV, HCV and syphilis testing approach in community-based voluntary counselling and testing services in Slovakia
Por:
Staneková, DV, Wimmerová, S, Fernández-López, L, Hábeková, M, Kovárová, A, Takácová, M and Casabona, J
Publicada:
1 ene 2024
Resumen:
Aim: Aim of the pilot was to increase HIV/HCV/syphilis testing and linkage to care of newly diagnosed persons, improve data collection and transfer using standard data collection tools in CBVCT services. Methods: Integrated anonymous voluntary testing from blood for HIV, HCV and syphilis was realised using rapid tests in the period of 6 months (03/2019-08/2019). Participants with reactive results were advised to see a specialist for confirmatory testing and/or treatment. Results: A total of 675 clients were tested for HIV, 410 for HCV, and 457 for syphilis. Participants'median age ranged from 24 to 35.6 (IQR: 24), 75.3% of them were men, 23.7% were women, and 0.6% identified as transgender. In terms of groups at risk 48.9 % of 675 clients were men who have sex with men (MSM), 0.3 % sex workers (SW), 9.0 % people who inject drugs (PWID), 2.4 % migrants (Mi) and the rest of clients (8.3 %) belonged to groups at combined risk. Pilot revealed HIV, HCV and T. pallidum infections in 0.4 %, 2.4 % and 1.8 % of clients, respectively. Just 2 clients, confirmed HIV-positive, were linked to care. The highest prevalence of HIV (4.2 %), HCV (30.8 %) and syphilis (7.1 %) was found among MSM/Mi, PWID and SW/PWID, respectively. Condomless intercourse with SW, PWID, MSM and HIV-positive person in the last 12 months was reported by 5/92, 41/82, 3/78 and 0/88 of responding clients, respectively. Core indicators were included in the yearly national epidemiological report. Conclusions: Pilot revealed the need to support integrated CBVCTto overcome barriers in confirmatory testing and linkage to care and to integrate core data of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) testing framework at CBVCT services into a national surveillance and M&E systems in Slovakia.
Filiaciones:
Staneková, DV:
Slovak Med Univ, Bratislava, Slovakia
Wimmerová, S:
Slovak Med Univ, Bratislava, Slovakia
:
Inst Hlth Sci Res Germans Trias & Pujol IGTP, Badalona, Spain
Hábeková, M:
Slovak Med Univ, Bratislava, Slovakia
Kovárová, A:
Slovak Med Univ, Bratislava, Slovakia
Takácová, M:
Slovak Med Univ, Bratislava, Slovakia
Casabona, J:
CIBER Epidemiol & Salud Publ CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
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