Dataset Information

Hepatitis C Screening in Community-Based Voluntary Counselling and Testing Services in Europe: An Observational Study from the COBATEST Network 2014-2018.

ABSTRACT: The COBATEST Network links community-based voluntary counselling and testing (CBVCT) services in the European region and collects testing data using standardised data collection tools. This study aims to describe the population being screened for anti-HCV antibodies in the COBATEST Network and identify risk factors associated with a reactive HCV screening test result in the period 2014-2018. Clients aged?>?16 screened for HCV in the period 2014-2018 at one of the Network's CBVCT services were included in the study. In the 5 year period, 7426 clients were screened for HCV in 22 centres in 10 countries and anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 113 (1.5%). The majority of people screened were aged 25-44, men who have sex with men (MSM), not HIV+?, not reporting a history of injecting drug use or sex work. Detection of anti-HCV antibodies was associated with being HIV?+?MSM (aOR 9.1, 95% CI 3.8; 21.8 compared to HIV-clients) and being a person who injects drugs (PWID, aOR 28.1, 95% CI 17.6; 45.0, compared to people with no history of injecting drug use). This study demonstrates that HIV-MSM with no history of injection drug use are using CBVCT services for HCV screening, but reactive screening test is associated with being HIV+?or PWID. The integration of HCV screening into the CBVCT service model may widen access to testing for populations that may otherwise not be tested.

SUBMITTER: Conway A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7095007 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Hepatitis C Screening in Community-Based Voluntary Counselling and Testing Services in Europe: An Observational Study from the COBATEST Network 2014-2018.

Conway Anna A Fernàndez-López Laura L Reyes-Urueña Juliana J Casabona Jordi J

Journal of community health 20200601 3

The COBATEST Network links community-based voluntary counselling and testing (CBVCT) services in the European region and collects testing data using standardised data collection tools. This study aims to describe the population being screened for anti-HCV antibodies in the COBATEST Network and identify risk factors associated with a reactive HCV screening test result in the period 2014-2018. Clients aged > 16 screened for HCV in the period 2014-2018 at one of the Network's CBVCT services were in ...[more]

PMID: 31749115

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND: Health, fair financing and responsiveness to the user's needs and expectations are seen as the essential objectives of health systems. Efforts have been made to conceptualise and measure responsiveness as a basis for evaluating the non-health aspects of health systems performance. This study assesses the applicability of the responsiveness tool developed by WHO when applied in the context of voluntary HIV counselling and testing services (VCT) at a district level in Kenya. METHODS: A mixed method study was conducted employing a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods concurrently. The questionnaire proposed by WHO was administered to 328 VCT users and 36 VCT counsellors (health providers). In addition to the questionnaire, qualitative interviews were carried out among a total of 300 participants. Observational field notes were also written. RESULTS: A majority of the health providers and users indicated that the responsiveness elements were very important, e.g. confidentiality and autonomy were regarded by most users and health providers as very important and were also reported as being highly observed in the VCT room. However, the qualitative findings revealed other important aspects related to confidentiality, autonomy and other responsiveness elements that were not captured by the WHO tool. Striking examples were inappropriate location of the VCT centre, limited information provided, language problems, and concern about the quality of counselling. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the WHO developed responsiveness elements are relevant and important in measuring the performance of voluntary HIV counselling and testing. However, the tool needs substantial revision in order to capture other important dimensions or perspectives. The findings also confirm the importance of careful assessment and recognition of locally specific aspects when conducting comparative studies on responsiveness of HIV testing services.

Project description:ObjectivesHypothesising that couples' voluntary counselling and testing (CVCT) promotions can increase CVCT uptake, this study identified predictors of successful CVCT promotion in Lusaka, Zambia.DesignCohort study.SettingLusaka, Zambia.Participants68 influential network leaders (INLs) identified 320 agents (INAs) who delivered 29 119 CVCT invitations to heterosexual couples.InterventionThe CVCT promotional model used INLs who identified INAs, who in turn conducted community-based promotion and distribution of CVCT invitations in two neighbourhoods over 18 months, with a mobile unit in one neighbourhood crossing over to the other mid-way through.Primary outcomeThe primary outcome of interest was couple testing (yes/no) after receipt of a CVCT invitation. INA, couple and invitation characteristics predictive of couples' testing were evaluated accounting for two-level clustering.ResultsINAs delivered invitations resulting in 1727 couples testing (6% success rate). In multivariate analyses, INA characteristics significantly predictive of CVCT uptake included promoting in community-based (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.3; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.8) or health (aOR=1.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.0) networks versus private networks; being employed in the sales/service industry (aOR=1.5; 95% CI 1.0 to 2.1) versus unskilled manual labour; owning a home (aOR=0.7; 95% CI 0.6 to 0.9) versus not; and having tested for HIV with a partner (aOR=1.4; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7) or alone (aOR=1.3; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.6) versus never having tested. Cohabiting couples were more likely to test (aOR=1.4; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.6) than non-cohabiting couples. Context characteristics predictive of CVCT uptake included inviting couples (aOR=1.2; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.4) versus individuals; the woman (aOR=1.6; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.2) or couple (aOR=1.4; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.8) initiating contact versus the INA; the couple being socially acquainted with the INA (aOR=1.6; 95% CI 1.4 to 1.9) versus having just met; home invitation delivery (aOR=1.3; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.5) versus elsewhere; and easy invitation delivery (aOR=1.8; 95% CI 1.4 to 2.2) versus difficult as reported by the INA.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the ability of influential people to promote CVCT and identified agent, couple and context-level factors associated with CVCT uptake in Lusaka, Zambia. We encourage the development of CVCT promotions in other sub-Saharan African countries to support sustained CVCT dissemination.

Dataset Information

Hepatitis C Screening in Community-Based Voluntary Counselling and Testing Services in Europe: An Observational Study from the COBATEST Network 2014-2018.

Publications

Hepatitis C Screening in Community-Based Voluntary Counselling and Testing Services in Europe: An Observational Study from the COBATEST Network 2014-2018.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure