Publication

Title: HIV assessment and testing for hospital in-patients: still a weak link in the cascade
Authors: Iwuji CC, Lessells RJ.
Journal: Public Health Action,21;7(4):243. doi: 10.5588/pha.17.0111: (2017)

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Abstract

Since 2007, the World Health Organization has rec- ommended that in countries with generalised human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemics, HIV testing and counselling should be offered to all adults and adolescents seen in a health facility. This recommendation had been policy in Uganda since 2005. However, evidence suggests that translation of this policy to practice in real-world settings has been patchy and that missed opportunities with HIV testing in the in-patient setting are still contributing to HIV-related deaths.

Informing all patients that an HIV test will be routinely added to their investigations may improve testing rates by reducing the amount of time spent on pre-test counselling. Signs advertising this approach should be displayed in strategic places at the point of admission and on the wards. Using point-of-care HIV tests that provide results in 1 minute (INSTITM Rapid HIV Test; bioLytical Laboratories, Richmond, BC, Canada), rather than the usual 20 minutes, could also en- courage the offer of a test by health care providers.

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Citation: Iwuji CC, Lessells RJ. HIV assessment and testing for hospital in-patients: still a weak link in the cascade Public Health Action,21;7(4):243. doi: 10.5588/pha.17.0111: (2017).