Overview

Since the release of the consolidated guidelines in 2015, new evidence has emerged. Consequently, in an effort to further support countries, programme managers, health workers and other stakeholders seeking to achieve national and international HIV goals, this 2016 update issues new recommendations and additional guidance on HIV self-testing (HIVST) and assisted HIV partner notification services.

These new guidelines aim to:

• Support the implementation and scale-up of ethical, effective, acceptable and evidence-based approaches to HIVST and assisted HIV partner notification.
• Support the routine offer of voluntary assisted HIV partner notification services as part of a public health approach to delivering HTS.
• Provide guidance on how HIVST and assisted HIV partner notification services could be integrated into both community-based and facility-based HTS approaches and be tailored to specific population groups.
• Support the introduction of HIVST as a formal HTS intervention using quality-assured products that are approved by WHO and official local and international bodies.
• Position HIVST and assisted HIV partner notification services as HTS approaches that will contribute to closing the testing gap and achieving the UN’s 90 –90 –90 and 2030 global goals.

Contents

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• ABBREVIATIONS
• GLOSSARY
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• 1. INTRODUCTION
  • 1.1. Progress and challenges with HIV testing services
  • 1.2. Guidelines rationale
  • 1.3. Scope of guidelines
  • 1.4. Using the guidelines
  • 1.5. Goal and objectives
  • 1.6. Target audience
  • 1.7. Guiding principles
• 2. HIV SELF-TESTING
  • 2.1. Background and rationale
  • 2.2. Review of the evidence
  • 2.3. Continuum of approaches for successful HIVST implementation
• 3. HIV PARTNER NOTIFICATION SERVICES
  • 3.1. Background and rationale
  • 3.2. Review of the evidence
  • 3.3. Implementation considerations for success
• REFERENCES
• Annexes
  • Annex 16. Methodology for guideline development on HIV self-testing and HIV partner notification services
  • Annex 17. Should HIV self-testing be offered as an additional approach to delivering HIV testing services? A systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Annex 18. Assisted HIV partner notification services: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Annex 19. Reliability of HIV rapid diagnostic tests for self-testing performed by self-testers compared to healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Annex 20. Risk-benefit analysis on HIV self-testing
  • Annex 21. Review of the social harm reported in standard HIV testing services and those reported in HIV self-testing
  • Annex 22. Cost-effectiveness of different delivery approaches for HIV self-testing in Zimbabwe
  • Annex 23. Country policy review on HIV self-testing
  • Annex 24. Country policy review on HIV partner notification services
  • Annex 25. Report on the values and preferences on HIV self-testing in Rakai, Uganda
  • Annex 26. Report on the values and preferences on partner notification in Rakai, Uganda
  • Annex 27. Report on the values and preferences on HIV self-testing and partner notification services in Kenya
  • Annex 28. Report on the values and preferences on HIV self-testing in Brazil
  • Annex 29. Report on the values and preferences on HIV self-testing and partner notification from the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
  • Annex 30. Report on the values and preferences on HIV self-testing and partner notification among female sex workers, people who inject drugs and people with HIV from the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
  • Annex 31. Report on the values and preferences on HIV self-testing and partner notification among men who have sex with men, transgender people and people with HIV from the Regional Office for South-East Asia and the Regional Office for the Western Pacific
  • Annex 32. HIV self-testing implementation tool kit for health-care workers
  • Annex 33. Guideline Development Group declaration of conflicts of interest summaries

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