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Interventions for improving the uptake of HIV testing among men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

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Názov: Interventions for improving the uptake of HIV testing among men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review
Autori: Atakorah-Yeboah Junior, Kofi, Phalane, Edith, Agyarko-Poku, Thomas, Atuahene, Kyeremeh, Phaswana-Mafuya, Refilwe Nancy
Zdroj: Gender and Behaviour; Vol. 23 No. 2 (2025); 23615-23652
Informácie o vydavateľovi: African Journals Online (AJOL), 2025.
Rok vydania: 2025
Predmety: HIV testing, HIV testing interventions, Men who have sex with men, sub-Saharan Africa
Popis: HIV testing is the foundation of the HIV cascade, informing treatment initiation and viral load sup-pression. It is particularly critical for key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM), who face a disproportionate burden of HIV due to systemic barriers including stigma, discrimination, and legal hindrances. These challenges limit access to HIV testing and necessitate tailored interven-tions. This systematic review aimed to assess innovative strategies to improve HIV testing uptake among MSM in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Guided by the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA)” guidelines, a comprehensive search of databases, organisa-tional websites, and manual sources was conducted for studies published from January 2000 onward. The review was registered with “International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews” (CRD42022346821). Twenty-three studies focusing on MSM aged 18 and above in SSA were included from an initial pool of 4,248 records. The findings revealed effective approaches such as point-of-care testing, self-testing, and community-based models. Peer-led and community-driven strategies signifi-cantly enhanced testing uptake by improving accessibility and acceptability. However, persistent bar-riers such as stigma, discrimination, cost, limited counselling, and negative provider attitudes, under-mined intervention effectiveness. Hence, addressing these barriers is essential to ensure the success and sustainability of HIV testing strategies among MSM in SSA. The review contributes to the litera-ture by consolidating existing evidence, identifying critical gaps, and informing the development of effective, contextually appropriate interventions.
Druh dokumentu: Article
Popis súboru: application/pdf
ISSN: 1596-9231
DOI: 10.4314/gab.v23i2.23
Prístupová URL adresa: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/gab/article/view/303675
Prístupové číslo: edsair.doi.dedup.....ece66ec5dc0496b235c89bc90b05115c
Databáza: OpenAIRE
Popis
Abstrakt:HIV testing is the foundation of the HIV cascade, informing treatment initiation and viral load sup-pression. It is particularly critical for key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM), who face a disproportionate burden of HIV due to systemic barriers including stigma, discrimination, and legal hindrances. These challenges limit access to HIV testing and necessitate tailored interven-tions. This systematic review aimed to assess innovative strategies to improve HIV testing uptake among MSM in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Guided by the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA)” guidelines, a comprehensive search of databases, organisa-tional websites, and manual sources was conducted for studies published from January 2000 onward. The review was registered with “International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews” (CRD42022346821). Twenty-three studies focusing on MSM aged 18 and above in SSA were included from an initial pool of 4,248 records. The findings revealed effective approaches such as point-of-care testing, self-testing, and community-based models. Peer-led and community-driven strategies signifi-cantly enhanced testing uptake by improving accessibility and acceptability. However, persistent bar-riers such as stigma, discrimination, cost, limited counselling, and negative provider attitudes, under-mined intervention effectiveness. Hence, addressing these barriers is essential to ensure the success and sustainability of HIV testing strategies among MSM in SSA. The review contributes to the litera-ture by consolidating existing evidence, identifying critical gaps, and informing the development of effective, contextually appropriate interventions.
ISSN:15969231
DOI:10.4314/gab.v23i2.23