Evaluating the effect of HIV prevention strategies on uptake of HIV counselling and testing among male most-at-risk-populations in Nigeria; a cross-sectional analysis

• Published in: Sexually transmitted infections Vol. 91; no. 8; pp. 555 - 560
• Main Authors: Adebajo, Sylvia, Eluwa, George, Njab, Jean, Oginni, Ayo, Ukwuije, Francis, Ahonsi, Babatunde, Lorenc, Theo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Adult; At risk populations; Behavior; Community; Counseling; Cross-Sectional Studies; Directive Counseling - statistics & numerical data; Disease prevention; Diversity training; Female; Funding; Health facilities; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Services Accessibility; Health Services Needs and Demand; HIV; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV Infections - transmission; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Identification documents; Intervention; Male; Mass Screening - psychology; Medical tests; Mens health; Nigeria - epidemiology; Outreach services; Palliative care; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveillance; Nigeria; HOMOSEXUALITY; OUTREACH SERVICES; HIV; INJECTING DRUG USE; PROGRAM EVALUATION
• ISSN: 1368-4973; 1472-3263
• DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2014-051659

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of three strategies in increasing uptake of HIV counselling and testing (HCT) among male most-at-risk-population (M-MARPs) using programmatic data.DesignHIV prevention strategies were evaluated in a cross-sectional analysis.MethodsThree HCT strategies were implemented between July 2009 and July 2012 among men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWIDs) in four states in Nigeria. The first strategy (S1), involved key opinion leaders (KOLs) who referred M-MARPs to health facilities for HCT. The second strategy (S2) involved KOLs referring M-MARPs to nearby mobile HCT teams while the third (S3) involved mobile M-MARPs peers conducting the HCT. χ2 statistics were used to test for differences in the distribution of categorical variables across groups while logistic regression was used to measure the effect of the different strategies while controlling for confounding factors.ResultsA total of 1988, 14 726 and 14 895 M-MARPs were offered HCT through S1, S2 and S3 strategies, respectively. Overall, S3 (13%) identified the highest proportion of HIV-positive M-MARPs compared with S1 (9%) and S2 (3%), p≤0.001. Also S3 (13%) identified the highest proportion of new HIV diagnosis compared with S1 (8%) and S2 (3%), respectively, p≤0.001. When controlled for age, marital status and occupation, MSM reached via S3 were 9 times (AOR: 9.21; 95% CI 5.57 to 15.23) more likely to uptake HCT when compared with S1 while PWIDs were 21 times (AOR: 20.90; 95% CI 17.33 to 25.21) more likely to uptake to HCT compared with those reached via S1.ConclusionsPeer-led HCT delivered by S3 had the highest impact on the total number of M-MARPs reached and in identifying HIV-positive M-MARPs and new testers. Training M-MARPs peers to provide HCT is a high impact approach in delivering HCT to M-MARPs.