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: Introduction: Following HIV testing services (HTS), the World Health Organization recommends prompt linkage to prevention and treatment. Scale‐up of effective linkage strategies is essential to achieving the global 95‐95‐95 goals for maintaining low HIV incidence by 2030 and reducing HIV‐related morbidity and mortality. Whereas linkage to care including same‐day antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation for all people with HIV is now routinely implemented in testing programmes, linkage to HIV prevention interventions including behavioural or biomedical strategies, for HIV‐negative individuals remains sub‐optimal. This review aims to evaluate effective post‐HTS linkage strategies for HIV overall, and highlight gaps specifically in linkage to prevention. Methods: Using the five‐step Arksey and O'Malley framework, we conducted a scoping review searching existing published and grey literature. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and EMBASE databases for English‐language studies published between 1 January 2010 and 30 November 2023. Linkage interventions included as streamlined interventions—involving same‐day HIV testing, ART initiation and point‐of‐care CD4 cell count/viral load, case management—involving linkage coordinators developing personalized HIV care and risk reduction plans, incentives—financial and non‐financial, partner services—including contact tracing, virtual—like social media, quality improvement—like use of score cards, and peer‐based interventions. Outcomes of interest were linkage to any form of HIV prevention and/or care including ART initiation. Results: Of 2358 articles screened, 66 research studies met the inclusion criteria. Only nine linkage to prevention studies were identified (n = 9/66, 14%)—involving pre‐exposure prophylaxis, voluntary medical male circumcision, sexually transmitted infection and cervical cancer screening. Linkage to care studies (n = 57/66, 86%) focused on streamlined interventions in the general population and on case management among key populations. Discussion: Despite a wide range of HIV prevention interventions available, there was a dearth of literature on HIV prevention programmes and on the use of messaging on treatment as prevention strategy. Linkage to care studies were comparatively numerous except those evaluating virtual interventions, incentives and quality improvement. Conclusions: The findings give insights into linkage strategies but more understanding of how to provide these effectively for maximum prevention impact is needed., INTRODUCTION Globally, linkage to HIV services, defined as a process to support people testing for HIV to engage with prevention, care, treatment and other relevant non‐HIV‐related services, is an important [...]

When HIV diagnostic tests first became available in 1985, HIV testing was offered with caution. No treatment was available, prevention options were limited, and stigma and discrimination against people with [...]

: Introduction: We have previously demonstrated that assisted partner services (aPS) increases HIV testing and case finding among partners of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in a cluster randomized trial in Kenya. However, the efficacy of aPS may vary across populations. In this analysis, we explore differences in aPS efficacy by characteristics of index participants. Methods: Eighteen HIV testing sites were randomized to immediate versus 6‐week delayed aPS. Participants were PLHIV (or index participants) and their sexual partners. Partners of index participants were contacted for HIV testing and linked to care if HIV positive. Primary outcomes were the number of partners per index participant who: 1) tested for HIV, 2) tested HIV positive and 3) enrolled in HIV care. We used generalized estimating equations to assess differences in aPS efficacy by region, testing location, gender, age and knowledge of HIV status. Results: From 2013 to 2015, the study enrolled 1119 index participants, 625 of whom were in the immediate group. These index participants named 1286 sexual partners. Immediate aPS was more efficacious than delayed aPS in promoting HIV testing among partners in high compared to low HIV prevalence regions (Nyanza incidence rate ratio (IRR) 7.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.4, 9.6 vs. Nairobi/Central IRR 3.4 95% CI 2.3, 4.8). Higher rates of partner HIV testing were also observed for index participants in rural/peri‐urban compared to urban sites (IRR 6.6; 95% CI 4.5, 9.6 vs. IRR 3.5 95% CI 2.5, 5.0 respectively), for female versus male index participants (IRR 5.8 95% CI 4.2, 7.9 vs. IRR 3.7; 95% CI 2.4, 5.8 respectively) and for newly diagnosed versus known HIV‐positive index participants (IRR 6.0 95% CI 4.2, 8.7 vs. IRR 3.3; 95% CI 2.0, 7.7 respectively). Providing aPS to female versus male index participants also had a significantly higher HIV case finding rate (IRR 9.1; 95% CI 4.0, 20.9 vs. IRR 3.2 95% CI 1.7, 6.0 respectively.) Conclusions: While it is known that aPS promotes increases in HIV testing and case finding, this is the first study to demonstrate significant differences in aPS efficacy across characteristics of the index participant. Understanding these differences and their drivers will be critical as aPS is brought to scale in order to ensure all PLHIV have access to these services., Introduction Knowledge of one's HIV status is a prerequisite to accessing HIV care and treatment. The United Nations global call to control the HIV epidemic, aims to have 90% of [...]