Improving HIV testing and retention among adolescents and youths: Lessons from a quasi-experimental study of the Red-Carpet Program in Malawi.

ABSTRACT: Adolescents and youth living with HIV (AYLHIV) often face significant challenges in HIV care. Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation in Malawi implemented the Red-Carpet Program (RCP) to provide fast-tracked services for AYLHIV in care.This study aimed to assess the effect of RCP on Provider-Initiated HIV testing, linkage to care and antiretroviral therapy (ART), and retention in care among AYLHIV in Blantyre, Malawi. This quasi-experimental study compared outcomes among newly identified AYLHIV enrolled in four intervention health facilities implementing RCP with those of three non-intervention facilities between July 2020 and March 2021. Non-intervention sites were selected by matching based on patient volumes and baseline retention rates prior to the intervention ensuring comparabili

SUBMITTER: Chamanga R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11658608 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature