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Abstract
Increasing access to peadiatric HIV care through home based HIV counseling and testing (HBHCT), TASO Mbale
Kusemererwa S.1, Damba D.1, Nabude C.1
Objectives: TASO offers care and support to families infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. HBHCT is one of the services extended to household members of index clients on ARVs. The paper discusses results of children between the ages of 18months and 18 tested through HBHCT. Objectives were to establish the number of children who assented and accepted to take an HIV test and referrals to TASO for care and support there after.
Methods: Secondary data analysis was done using Ms Access on data collected between September 2004 and December 2006. All children in the age group 18months to 18 years, reached through HBHCT were included in this study. Over 1410 index clients were started on ARVs by December 2006.
Results: Of the family members who received guardian and child counseling, 73% (2806) were between 18 months and 13 years of age while 27% (1039) who received individual counseling were 14 to 18 years of age. 73.0% (2675) had their guardians consent to test while 27% (987) consented to test. 97.1% (3556) tested HIV negative and 2.9% (106) tested HIV positive, 33.9% (36) in the age group 18months -5 years, 51.9% (55) in the age group 6-13 years and 14.2% (15) children in the age group 14-18 years. Of those tested HIV positive, 54% (57) have accessed services from the TASO Mbale center, 21% (12) of who were started on ARVs.
Conclusions: A good percentage of guardians and older children are willing to have an HIV test. A big proportion of children are HIV negative. Interventions for prevention should be emphasized. Rapid testing methods for children 6weeks and 18months of age need to be developed.
4th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention
Abstract no.
CDB439
Suggested Citation
"KusemererwaS., et al.
Increasing access to peadiatric HIV care through home based HIV counseling and testing (HBHCT), TASO Mbale.
:
4th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention:
Abstract no.
CDB439"
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