What Works for Women and Girls

Between June and December 2007, mobile VCT in a rural area in Zambia with nohealth facilities coupled with drama performances to create awareness and used tentsfor counseling rooms, resulting in 2,487 people accessing VCT, of whom 1,167 werewomen. Of 290 people testing positive (an 11.6% incidence rate), 179 were female and190 were referred for services (Chimba Kasoma, 2008). (Abstract) (counseling, HIVtesting, Zambia)A project in Kenya using community mobilization resulted in reaching over 127,000people with HIV prevention information out of which over 42% were counseled andtesting. Of these, 2,630 were found HIV-positive and were referred for care whileHIV-negative people were counseled on risk reduction (Ngede et al., 2008). (Abstract)(mass media, counseling, HIV testing, Kenya)Community outreach and mobilization through youth peers who go door to door,using speakers on cars to encourage VCT, dissemination of information and discussionsat community events in rural South Africa resulted in increased numbers of youthaccessing VCT services (Ngubane et al., 2008a). (Abstract) (community outreach, youth,peer education, counseling, HIV testing, South Africa)An HIV/AIDS hotline was introduced in Egypt, resulting in over 145,000 calls, wheremore than 75% were by men. Data at VCT sites demonstrated that about 20% of clientshad been referred by the hotline (Bahaa et al., 2008). (Abstract) (mass media, HIV testing,Egypt)5. Home testing, consented to by household members, can increase the number of peoplewho learn their serostatus.An analysis of a non-randomized study from rural Southwestern Uganda with 1869participants (Wolff et al. 2005) found “very high acceptability and uptake of VCT resultswhen testing and or results were given at home compared to the standard (facility)”(Bateganya et al., 2007: 15). In Zambia, the participants who were offered home-basedtesting were “4.6 times more likely to accept VCT,” while in Uganda, during the year thatHIV results were offered at home, “participants were 5.23 times more likely to receivetheir results” (Bateganya et al., 2007: 15). Overall, the review found that “home-basedtesting may be an effective way of delivering HIV prevention services in populations nottargeted by earlier efforts” and that “the advantages of home-based VCT may outweighany potential adverse effects that are associated with premature disclosure from homebasedVCT” (Bateganya et al., 2007: 16). However, “given the limited extent of literatureand the limitations in existing studies, large-scale implementation is premature.This is particularly true in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, wherethe cost and feasibility of implementing large-scale home-based testing programs iswrought with infrastructure problems, as well as cost/benefit issues in areas where HIVprevalence may differ.” (Bateganya et al., 2007: 16). These two studies were included ina 2007 Cochrane review of home-based HIV VCT interventions in developing countries(Bateganya et al., 2007). (Gray I) (counseling, HIV testing, Zambia, Uganda)WHAT WORKS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS159