SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
HIV counseling and testing is the gateway to treatment and care and provides important preventative and personal benefits to recipients. However, in developing countries the majority of HIV infected persons have not been tested for HIV. Combining community mobilization, mobile community-based HIV testing and counseling, and post-test support may increase HIV testing rates.
METHODS
We randomly assigned half of 10 rural communities in Tanzania, 8 in Zimbabwe, and 14 in Thailand to receive a multiple component community-based voluntary counseling and testing (CBVCT) intervention together with access to standard clinic-based voluntary counseling and testing (SVCT). The control communities received only SVCT. The intervention was provided for approximately 3 years. The primary study endpoint is HIV incidence and is pending completion of the post-intervention assessment. This is a descriptive interim analysis examining the percentage of the total population aged 16–32 years tested for HIV across study arms, and differences in client characteristics by study arm.
FINDINGS
A higher percentage of 16–32 year-olds were tested in intervention communities than in control communities (37% vs. 9% in Tanzania; 51% vs. 5% in Zimbabwe; and 69% vs. 23% in Thailand). The mean difference between the percentage of the population tested in CBVCT versus SVCT communities was 40.4% across the 3 country study arm pairs, (95% CI 15.8% – 64.7%, p-value 0.019, df=2). Despite higher prevalence of HIV among those testing at SVCT venues the intervention detected 3.6 times more HIV infected clients in the CBVCT communities than in SVCT communities (952 vs. 264, p< 0.001). Over time the rate of repeat testing grew substantially across all sites to 28% of all those testing for HIV by the end of the intervention period.
INTERPRETATION
This multiple component, community-level intervention is effective at both increasing HIV testing rates and detecting HIV cases in rural settings in developing countries.
Background
Changing community norms to increase awareness of HIV status and reduce HIV-related stigma has the potential to reduce the incidence of HIV-1 infection in the developing world.
Methods
We developed and implemented a multi-level intervention providing community-based HIV mobile voluntary counseling and testing (CBVCT), community mobilization (CM), and post-test support services (PTSS). Forty-eight communities in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Thailand were randomized to receive the intervention or standard clinic-based VCT (SVCT), the comparison condition. We monitored utilization of CBVCT and SVCT by community of residence at 3 sites, which was used to assess differential uptake. We also developed Quality Assurance procedures to evaluate staff fidelity to the intervention.
Findings
In the first year of the study a four-fold increase in testing was observed in the intervention versus comparison communities. We also found an overall 95% adherence to intervention components. Study outcomes, including prevalence of recent HIV infection and community-level HIV stigma, will be assessed after three years of intervention.
Conclusion
The provision of mobile services, combined with appropriate support activities, may have significant effects on utilization of VCT. These findings also provide early support for community mobilization as a strategy for increasing testing rates.
Acceptability research across diverse settings through all stages of microbicide research, development, and post-licensure dissemination can help maximize acceptability and use.
Same-day HIV testing in community settings seems to be acceptable in sub-Saharan Africa. Barriers to HIV testing are often logistic and can be overcome with community-based strategies. These strategies need to be refined to address the needs of those not using mobile testing services.
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