Consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services, 2019: web annex C. GRADE table: should social network-based approaches be offered as an additional HIV testing approach for key populations and their contacts?
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World Health Organization
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12 p.
This Web Annex accompanies the Consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services, 2019 and presents the GRADE evidence profiles supporting the WHO recommendation on offering social network-based approaches as an additional HIV testing strategy for key populations and their contacts. Developed as part of the WHO guideline development process, it summarizes the available evidence comparing social network approaches with standard HIV testing services, venue-based approaches and non-comparative implementation studies. The annex assesses the effectiveness of these approaches in expanding access to HIV testing and identifying previously undiagnosed HIV infections among priority populations. The publication provides detailed GRADE evidence tables evaluating the certainty of evidence for outcomes including uptake of HIV testing services, identification of first-time and non-recent testers, HIV positivity, linkage to clinical assessment and antiretroviral therapy, linkage to prevention services, and social harms or adverse events. Evidence is drawn primarily from observational studies conducted in diverse settings and populations, with assessments of risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision and overall certainty. As a methodological companion to the main guideline, the annex promotes transparency in the evidence underpinning WHO recommendations and serves as a technical resource for policy-makers, programme managers, researchers and guideline developers.
This Web Annex accompanies the Consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services, 2019 and presents the GRADE evidence profiles supporting the WHO recommendation on offering social network-based approaches as an additional HIV testing strategy for key populations and their contacts. Developed as part of the WHO guideline development process, it summarizes the available evidence comparing social network approaches with standard HIV testing services, venue-based approaches and non-comparative implementation studies. The annex assesses the effectiveness of these approaches in expanding access to HIV testing and identifying previously undiagnosed HIV infections among priority populations. The publication provides detailed GRADE evidence tables evaluating the certainty of evidence for outcomes including uptake of HIV testing services, identification of first-time and non-recent testers, HIV positivity, linkage to clinical assessment and antiretroviral therapy, linkage to prevention services, and social harms or adverse events. Evidence is drawn primarily from observational studies conducted in diverse settings and populations, with assessments of risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision and overall certainty. As a methodological companion to the main guideline, the annex promotes transparency in the evidence underpinning WHO recommendations and serves as a technical resource for policy-makers, programme managers, researchers and guideline developers.