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Rwabiyago OE, Katale A, Bingham T, Grund JM, Machangu O, Medley A, Nkomela ZM, Kayange A, King'ori GN, Juma JM, Ismail A, Kategile U, Akom E, Mlole NT, Schaad N, Maokola W, Nyagonde N, Magesa D, Kazitanga JC, Maruyama H, Temu F, Kimambo S, Sando D, Mbatia R, Chalamila ST, Ogwang BE, Njelekela MA, Kazaura K, Wong VJ, Gongo R, Njau PF, Mbunda A, Nondi J, Bateganya M, Greene J, Breda M, Mgomella G, Rwebembera A, Swaminathan M. Social network strategy (SNS) for HIV testing: a new approach for identifying individuals with undiagnosed HIV infection in Tanzania. AIDS Care 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38502602 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2024.2307383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Social network strategy (SNS) testing uses network connections to refer individuals at high risk to HIV testing services (HTS). In Tanzania, SNS testing is offered in communities and health facilities. In communities, SNS testing targets key and vulnerable populations (KVP), while in health facilities it complements index testing by reaching unelicited index contacts. Routine data were used to assess performance and trends over time in PEPFAR-supported sites between October 2021 and March 2023. Key indicators included SNS social contacts tested, and new HIV-positives individuals identified. Descriptive and statistical analysis were conducted. Univariable and multivariable analysis were applied, and variables with P-values <0.2 at univariable analysis were considered for multivariable analysis. Overall, 121,739 SNS contacts were tested, and 7731 (6.4%) previously undiagnosed individuals living with HIV were identified. Tested contacts and identified HIV-positives were mostly aged ≥15 years (>99.7%) and females (80.6% of tests, 79.4% of HIV-positives). Most SNS contacts were tested (78,363; 64.7%) and diagnosed (6376; 82.5%) in communities. SNS tests and HIV-positives grew 11.5 and 6.1-fold respectively, from October-December 2021 to January-March 2023, with majority of clients reached in communities vs. facilities (78,763 vs. 42,976). These results indicate that SNS testing is a promising HIV case-finding approach in Tanzania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Ernest Rwabiyago
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Allen Katale
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Trista Bingham
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global HIV and TB, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jonathan M Grund
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Ona Machangu
- Tanzania Ministry of Health: The National AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis Control Program, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Amy Medley
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global HIV and TB, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zeye M Nkomela
- Tanzania Ministry of Health: The National AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis Control Program, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Alick Kayange
- United States Walter Reed Army Institute of Research/Department of Defense (WRAIR/DOD), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Galal Naphtal King'ori
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - James McOllogi Juma
- Tanzania Ministry of Health: The National AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis Control Program, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Abbas Ismail
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Upendo Kategile
- United States Agency for International Development, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Eniko Akom
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program (MHRP), Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Neema Tabian Mlole
- President's Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Nicolas Schaad
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Werner Maokola
- Tanzania Ministry of Health: The National AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis Control Program, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Nyagonde Nyagonde
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Daniel Magesa
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jaiving C Kazitanga
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | | | - Sajida Kimambo
- USAID Afya Yangu Northern Project, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - David Sando
- Management and Development for Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | | | | | | | - Kokuhumbya Kazaura
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Vincent J Wong
- United States Agency for International Development, Office of HIV/AIDS, Washington DC, USA
| | - Ramadhani Gongo
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Prosper Faustine Njau
- Tanzania Ministry of Health: The National AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis Control Program, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Andrea Mbunda
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Joseph Nondi
- United States Walter Reed Army Institute of Research/Department of Defense (WRAIR/DOD), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Moses Bateganya
- United States Agency for International Development, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Mark Breda
- United States Walter Reed Army Institute of Research/Department of Defense (WRAIR/DOD), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - George Mgomella
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Anath Rwebembera
- Tanzania Ministry of Health: The National AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis Control Program, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Mahesh Swaminathan
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Division of Global HIV and TB, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Wallace A, Kimambo S, Dafrossa L, Rusibamayila N, Rwebembera A, Songoro J, Arthur G, Luman E, Finkbeiner T, Goodson JL. Qualitative assessment of the integration of HIV services with infant routine immunization visits in Tanzania. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2014; 66:e8-e14. [PMID: 24326602 PMCID: PMC4663663 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2009, a project was implemented in 8 primary health clinics throughout Tanzania to explore the feasibility of integrating pediatric HIV prevention services with routine infant immunization visits. METHODS We conducted interviews with 64 conveniently sampled mothers of infants who had received integrated HIV and immunization services and 16 providers who delivered the integrated services to qualitatively identify benefits and challenges of the intervention midway through project implementation. FINDINGS Mothers' perceived benefits of the integrated services included time savings, opportunity to learn their child's HIV status and receive HIV treatment, if necessary. Providers' perceived benefits included reaching mothers who usually would not come for only HIV testing. Mothers and providers reported similar challenges, including mothers' fear of HIV testing, poor spousal support, perceived mandatory HIV testing, poor patient flow affecting confidentiality of service delivery, heavier provider workloads, and community stigma against HIV-infected persons; the latter a more frequent theme in rural compared with urban locations. INTERPRETATION Future scale-up should ensure privacy of these integrated services received at clinics and community outreach to address stigma and perceived mandatory testing. Increasing human resources for health to address higher workloads and longer waiting times for proper patient flow is necessary in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Wallace
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Sajida Kimambo
- Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lyimo Dafrossa
- Expanded Programme on Immunizations, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Neema Rusibamayila
- Reproductive Child Health Services, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Anath Rwebembera
- National AIDS Control Programme, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Juma Songoro
- Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Gilly Arthur
- Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Elizabeth Luman
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Thomas Finkbeiner
- Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - James L. Goodson
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
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