Reaching underserved South Africans with integrated chronic disease screening and mobile HIV counselling and testing: A retrospective, longitudinal study conducted in Cape Town.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Community-based, mobile HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and screening for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) may improve early diagnosis and referral for care in underserved populations. We evaluated HCT/NCD data and described population characteristics of those visiting a mobile clinic in high HIV disease burden settings in Cape Town, South Africa, between 2008 and 2016.

Methods

Trained counsellors registered patients ≥12 years old at a mobile clinic, which offered HCT and blood pressure, diabetes (glucose testing) and obesity (body mass index) screening. A nurse referred patients who required HIV treatment or NCD care. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated correlates of new HIV diagnoses adjusting for gender, age and year.

Results

Overall,

SUBMITTER: Smith PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8096085 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature