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Return of test results in Vietnam HIV sentinel surveillance: Implementation and preliminary results

Description

Knowledge of one’s HIV serostatus helps improve quality of life for those who test positive and decreases the risk of HIV transmission. WHO recommends that all participants in HIV prevalence surveys be provided access to their test results, especially those who test HIV positive. Anonymous Vietnam HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS), implemented since 1994, focuses on people who inject drugs (PWID), female sex workers (FSW), and men who have sex with men (MSM). According to national guidelines, the HIV testing algorithm for surveillance purposes was based on two tests whereas the diagnostic algorithm for individuals was based on three tests. Thus, surveillance test results could not be returned to participants who were instead encouraged to learn their HIV serostatus by testing at public confirmatory testing sites. In 2015, a three-test strategy was applied as part of HSS so that test results could be returned to participants.

Objective:

To describe the implementation and preliminary results of returning HIV test results to participants in Vietnam HIV sentinel surveillance.

Submitted by elamb on