You have full access to this open access article. In , a cross-sectional study was conducted in Njombe region, Tanzania, to evaluate partner notification within facility-based HTS. Men and women newly diagnosed with HIV were enrolled as index clients and asked to list current or past sexual partners for referral to HTS. Successful partner referral was 2.
In qualitative analysis, male as well as female index clients mentioned difficulties notifying past or casual partners, and noted disease symptoms as a motivating factor for HIV testing.
Female index clients mentioned gender-specific challenges to successful referral. Women may need additional support to overcome challenges in the partner notification process. In addition to reducing barriers to partner notification specific to women, a programmatic emphasis on social strengths of males in successfully referring partners should be considered.
A review drawn from Demographic and Health Surveys DHS from to noted that, in 16 of 25 countries studied, the majority of HIV-positive men and women have never been tested [ 2 ].
A review of 29 SSA country DHS findings confirms that women are much more likely than men to have ever been tested [ 2 ]. Reaching men with HTS is thus a priority. A systematic review of strategies to increase the uptake of HIV testing among men noted that increased uptake of HTS by men is possible, and has been achieved, most notably through mobile and home-based HTS [ 5 ].
