Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, Malawi
ABSTRACTUNAIDS Fast-Track goals for 2025 include ensuring that 95% of the people with HIV know their HIV status. In 2019, the Malawi Ministry of Health introduced its approach for achieving this: an active index testing (AIT) policy with assisted partner notification services (APNS). Under this poli...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Health Systems & Reform |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23288604.2022.2151697 |
| _version_ | 1828264530611798016 |
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| author | Paul Chiwa Puleni Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando |
| author_facet | Paul Chiwa Puleni Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando |
| author_sort | Paul Chiwa Puleni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACTUNAIDS Fast-Track goals for 2025 include ensuring that 95% of the people with HIV know their HIV status. In 2019, the Malawi Ministry of Health introduced its approach for achieving this: an active index testing (AIT) policy with assisted partner notification services (APNS). Under this policy, health centers can actively reach out to a contact of newly-diagnosed HIV positive client (the index) to offer voluntary HIV testing services. However, APNS uptake has been sub-optimal at many health facilities. This qualitative study considers strategies to optimize the uptake of APNS among newly-diagnosed HIV positive clients at Ndirande Health Center in Blantyre, Malawi. We conducted in-depth interviews, between February and April 2020, with 24 participants, including new HIV positive index clients, their sexual partners, and key health workers. We employ a maximum variation purposive sampling technique. Thematic inductive and deductive data analysis was done manually according to the social-ecological model. Interviewees discussed various strategies for optimizing APNS uptake among newly diagnosed HIV-infected clients. Interpersonal strategies included maximizing the use of client profiling techniques and sensitization on APNS to create demand. Institutional-level strategies were also suggested, such as providing transportation for home visits, strengthening referral notification approaches, and additional training for health workers. Policy-level recommendations included introducing home-based partner testing and intensifying use of partner notification slips. APNS is a key strategy to maximize HIV case identification. However, achieving optimal APNS in Malawi requires strengthening existing strategies and conducting additional research to identify other APNS strategies tailored to the local context. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:26:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6fc91f4c30324825b6e454ec45d4cc4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2328-8604 2328-8620 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:26:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Systems & Reform |
| spelling | doaj.art-6fc91f4c30324825b6e454ec45d4cc4d2022-12-22T03:02:30ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHealth Systems & Reform2328-86042328-86202022-01-018110.1080/23288604.2022.2151697Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, MalawiPaul Chiwa Puleni0Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando1Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Blantyre, MalawiDepartment of Health Systems and Policy, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Blantyre, MalawiABSTRACTUNAIDS Fast-Track goals for 2025 include ensuring that 95% of the people with HIV know their HIV status. In 2019, the Malawi Ministry of Health introduced its approach for achieving this: an active index testing (AIT) policy with assisted partner notification services (APNS). Under this policy, health centers can actively reach out to a contact of newly-diagnosed HIV positive client (the index) to offer voluntary HIV testing services. However, APNS uptake has been sub-optimal at many health facilities. This qualitative study considers strategies to optimize the uptake of APNS among newly-diagnosed HIV positive clients at Ndirande Health Center in Blantyre, Malawi. We conducted in-depth interviews, between February and April 2020, with 24 participants, including new HIV positive index clients, their sexual partners, and key health workers. We employ a maximum variation purposive sampling technique. Thematic inductive and deductive data analysis was done manually according to the social-ecological model. Interviewees discussed various strategies for optimizing APNS uptake among newly diagnosed HIV-infected clients. Interpersonal strategies included maximizing the use of client profiling techniques and sensitization on APNS to create demand. Institutional-level strategies were also suggested, such as providing transportation for home visits, strengthening referral notification approaches, and additional training for health workers. Policy-level recommendations included introducing home-based partner testing and intensifying use of partner notification slips. APNS is a key strategy to maximize HIV case identification. However, achieving optimal APNS in Malawi requires strengthening existing strategies and conducting additional research to identify other APNS strategies tailored to the local context.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23288604.2022.2151697HIVindex testingpartner notificationpeople living with HIVsub-Saharan Africa |
| spellingShingle | Paul Chiwa Puleni Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, Malawi Health Systems & Reform HIV index testing partner notification people living with HIV sub-Saharan Africa |
| title | Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, Malawi |
| title_full | Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, Malawi |
| title_short | Strategies for Optimising Uptake of Assisted Partner Notification Services Among Newly Diagnosed HIV Positive Adults at Ndirande Health Centre, Malawi |
| title_sort | strategies for optimising uptake of assisted partner notification services among newly diagnosed hiv positive adults at ndirande health centre malawi |
| topic | HIV index testing partner notification people living with HIV sub-Saharan Africa |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23288604.2022.2151697 |
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