ArticleBMC research notes2017
Can trained lay providers perform HIV testing services? A review of national HIV testing policies.
Article in BMC research notes, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- What do we know about community-based health worker programs? A systematic review of existing reviews on community health workers.Human resources for health · 2018Pooled it
- Should trained lay providers perform HIV testing? A systematic review to inform World Health Organization guidelines.AIDS care · 2017Pooled it
- Trial
- Measuring the uptake of clinic-based HIV treatment and prevention services following HIV testing and referral at private pharmacies in Kenya.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Task sharing for point-of-care testing: Review of national health policies and implementation landscape in 19 African countries.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Country adoption of WHO 2019 guidance on HIV testing strategies and algorithms: a policy review across the WHO African region.BMJ open · 2023Article
- HIV rapid test performance among health facilities enrolled in HIV rapid test quality improvement initiative (RTQII) in Ethiopia.BMC infectious diseases · 2023Article
- Does a youth intern programme strengthen HIV service delivery in South Africa? An interrupted time-series analysis.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2023Article
- Lay testing cadres and point-of-care diagnostic tests for HIV and other diseases: An essential combination in health service delivery.PLoS medicine · 2021Article
- Increasing integrated testing in community settings through interventions for change, including the Spring European Testing Week.BMC infectious diseases · 2021Article
- Acceptability and feasibility of the CHARISMA counseling intervention to support women's use of pre-exposure prophylaxis: results of a pilot study.BMC women's health · 2021Article
- Retest and treat: a review of national HIV retesting guidelines to inform elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission (EMTCT) efforts.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2019Article
- Acceptability and feasibility of delegating HIV counseling and testing for TB patients to community health workers in the Philippines: a mixed methods study.BMC public health · 2019Article
- "They do not see us as one of them": a qualitative exploration of mentor mothers' working relationships with healthcare workers in rural North-Central Nigeria.Human resources for health · 2018Article
- Lay provider HIV testing: A promising strategy to reach the undiagnosed key populations in Vietnam.PloS one · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundOnly an estimated 54% of people living with HIV are aware of their status. Despite progress scaling up HIV testing services (HTS), a testing gap remains. Delivery of HTS by lay providers may help close this testing gap, while also increasing uptake and acceptability of HIV testing among key populations and other priority groups.
methods50 National HIV testing policies were collated from WHO country intelligence databases, contacts and testing program websites. Data regarding lay provider use for HTS was extracted and collated. Our search had no geographical or language restrictions. This data was then compared with reported data from the Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting (GARPR) from July 2015.
resultsForty-two percent of countries permit lay providers to perform HIV testing and 56% permit lay providers to administer pre-and post-test counseling. Comparative analysis with GARPR found that less than half (46%) of reported data from countries were consistent with their corresponding national HIV testing policy.
conclusionsGiven the low uptake of lay provider use globally and their proven use in increasing HIV testing, countries should consider revising policies to support lay provider testing using rapid diagnostic tests.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.