Improving HIV testing, linkage, and retention in care among South African men through U=U messaging: A study protocol for two sequential hybrid type 1 effectiveness- implementation randomized controlled trials.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Increasing HIV testing and treatment coverage among people living with HIV (PLHIV) is essential for achieving global AIDS epidemic control. However, compared to women, cis-gender heterosexual men living with HIV are significantly less likely to know their HIV status, initiate anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and achieve viral suppression. This is particularly true in South Africa, where men are also at increased risk of mortality resulting from AIDS-related illnesses. While there is growing knowledge of Treatment as Prevention or the concept Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U) among PLHIV in Western and high-income countries, the reach and penetration of the U=U message in sub-Saharan Africa remains limited, and few studies have evaluated the impact of accessible and relatab

SUBMITTER: Medina-Marino A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10602079 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature