Can network-based testing services have an impact beyond testing for HIV?

Aliza Monroe-Wise; Magdalena Barr-DiChiara; Antons Mozalevskis; Busisiwe Msimanga-Radebe; Maeve Brito de Mello; Kafui Senya; Niklas Luhmann; Cheryl Johnson; Rachel Baggaley

Just Accepted

This article has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. It is in production and has not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Can network-based testing services have an impact beyond testing for HIV?

Aliza Monroe-Wise , Magdalena Barr-DiChiara, Antons Mozalevskis, Busisiwe Msimanga-Radebe, Maeve Brito de Mello, Kafui Senya, Niklas Luhmann, Cheryl Johnson, Rachel Baggaley

Abstract

New strategies and innovations are needed to achieve ambitious global goals for the control of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and STIs. Network-based testing (NBT) services, including partner services, social network testing, and family and household testing, are a heterogeneous group of practices in which healthcare providers support clients with STIs or bloodborne infections to offer testing and/or other services to sexual or injecting partners, biological children, or household members or contacts. While significant evidence supports the efficacy of provider-assisted services to identify, diagnose, and link to care partners of people with HIV, there has been less direct research about NBT for viral hepatitis or STIs, or for providing prevention services to partners. Research is needed to better understand how partner services can best be utilized for multiple infections, specific populations and to achieve maximal impact. Integrating NBT service delivery to achieve testing, treatment, and/or prevention for multiple infections may be efficient, and this might include dual or multiplex testing for different populations. Self-testing or self-sampling for partners may overcome barriers to testing. Providing partners who test negative with prevention options, including PrEP or hepatitis B vaccination where appropriate, might be a powerful way to expand prevention efforts for multiple pathogens. NBT is an important tool for identifying those in need of interventions; a better understanding of how to expand and integrate this tool may help achieve cross-cutting health outcomes globally.

SH24027 Accepted 14 August 2024