Identification of adolescent girls and young women for targeted HIV prevention: a new risk scoring tool in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

ABSTRACT: The ongoing spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has driven novel interventions, such as antiretrovirals, for pre-exposure prophylaxis. Interventions have overlooked a high-risk Sub-Saharan African population: adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), particularly those under 18. We apply the Balkus risk tool among rural South African AGYW (n = 971) in a hyper-endemic setting, identify limitations, and assess deficiencies with modern statistical techniques. We apply the "Ayton" tool, the first risk tool applicable to sub-Saharan African AGYW, and compare performance of Balkus and Ayton tools under varying conditions. The Ayton tool more effectively predicted HIV acquisition. In low and high-risk AGYW, the Ayton tool out-performed the Balkus tool, which did not distinguish between ri

SUBMITTER: Ayton SG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7400571 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature