Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective study
Abstract Objective Despite a 1.5% National HIV prevalence, less than 40% of people living with HIV in Sierra Leone know their status. Limited activities on testing partners of HIV patients could be contributory to this substantial unawareness of HIV status. We carried out a retrospective study aimed...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-09-01
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| Series: | BMC Research Notes |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-019-4662-9 |
| _version_ | 1818932534160916480 |
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| author | Sulaiman Lakoh Emmanuel Firima Darlinda F. Jiba Momodu Sesay Mariama Marco Conteh Gibrilla Fadlu Deen |
| author_facet | Sulaiman Lakoh Emmanuel Firima Darlinda F. Jiba Momodu Sesay Mariama Marco Conteh Gibrilla Fadlu Deen |
| author_sort | Sulaiman Lakoh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective Despite a 1.5% National HIV prevalence, less than 40% of people living with HIV in Sierra Leone know their status. Limited activities on testing partners of HIV patients could be contributory to this substantial unawareness of HIV status. We carried out a retrospective study aimed at assessing partner testing and HIV prevalence among adults (≥ 15 years) tested using Determine™ and SD Bioline as recorded in the HIV testing registers from January to December 2017 at Connaught Hospital, an urban tertiary hospital in Sierra Leone. Results Of the 3808 clients tested for HIV, 2048 (53.8%) were females. The median age was 31 (IQR 24–42) years and 2104 (55.3%) were single. While 3014 (79.1%) had Provider-Initiated Testing and Counseling (PITC), 794 (20.9%) had Client-Initiated Testing and Counseling (CITC). HIV test was positive in 925 (24.3%) {CI 22.9–25.6, P < 0.001} clients. Of the 17 (0.4%) partners tested for HIV, 9 (52.9%) were positive. PITC yielded more HIV positive cases (760, 25.2%) than CITC (165, 20.8%). Partner testing (P = 0.007), female sex (P < 0.001) and PITC (P = 0.006) were associated with a positive HIV diagnosis. With high HIV prevalence and low partner testing, activities on partner testing are needed to improve the response to the epidemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:34:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d152b58e91154c9582325481a0530877 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-0500 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:34:01Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Research Notes |
| spelling | doaj.art-d152b58e91154c9582325481a05308772022-12-21T19:53:19ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002019-09-011211610.1186/s13104-019-4662-9Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective studySulaiman Lakoh0Emmanuel Firima1Darlinda F. Jiba2Momodu Sesay3Mariama Marco Conteh4Gibrilla Fadlu Deen5Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra LeoneKarolinska InstituteDepartment of Medicine, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals ComplexNational HIV/AIDS SecretariatNational AIDS Control ProgrammeDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra LeoneAbstract Objective Despite a 1.5% National HIV prevalence, less than 40% of people living with HIV in Sierra Leone know their status. Limited activities on testing partners of HIV patients could be contributory to this substantial unawareness of HIV status. We carried out a retrospective study aimed at assessing partner testing and HIV prevalence among adults (≥ 15 years) tested using Determine™ and SD Bioline as recorded in the HIV testing registers from January to December 2017 at Connaught Hospital, an urban tertiary hospital in Sierra Leone. Results Of the 3808 clients tested for HIV, 2048 (53.8%) were females. The median age was 31 (IQR 24–42) years and 2104 (55.3%) were single. While 3014 (79.1%) had Provider-Initiated Testing and Counseling (PITC), 794 (20.9%) had Client-Initiated Testing and Counseling (CITC). HIV test was positive in 925 (24.3%) {CI 22.9–25.6, P < 0.001} clients. Of the 17 (0.4%) partners tested for HIV, 9 (52.9%) were positive. PITC yielded more HIV positive cases (760, 25.2%) than CITC (165, 20.8%). Partner testing (P = 0.007), female sex (P < 0.001) and PITC (P = 0.006) were associated with a positive HIV diagnosis. With high HIV prevalence and low partner testing, activities on partner testing are needed to improve the response to the epidemic.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-019-4662-9Connaught HospitalClientsProviderCounselling |
| spellingShingle | Sulaiman Lakoh Emmanuel Firima Darlinda F. Jiba Momodu Sesay Mariama Marco Conteh Gibrilla Fadlu Deen Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective study BMC Research Notes Connaught Hospital Clients Provider Counselling |
| title | Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective study |
| title_full | Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective study |
| title_fullStr | Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective study |
| title_short | Low partner testing in high HIV prevalence setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a retrospective study |
| title_sort | low partner testing in high hiv prevalence setting in freetown sierra leone a retrospective study |
| topic | Connaught Hospital Clients Provider Counselling |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-019-4662-9 |
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