Publications by authors named "Kim A Le Ai"

Introduction: Stigma and discrimination are important barriers to HIV epidemic control. We implemented a multi-pronged facility-level intervention to reduce stigma and discrimination at health facilities across three high-burden provinces. Key components of the intervention included measurement of stigma, data review and use, participatory training of healthcare workers (HCWs), and engagement of people living with HIV and key populations in all stigma reduction activities.

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HIV self-testing has emerged as a safe and effective approach to increase the access to and uptake of HIV testing and treatment, especially for key populations. Applying self-testing to hepatitis C virus (HCV) may also offer an additional way to address low coverage of HCV testing and to accelerate elimination efforts. To understand the potential for HCV self-testing (HCVST), an observational study was conducted to assess the acceptability and usability of the OraQuick HCV Self-Test (prototype) among people who inject drugs (PWID) and men who have sex with men (MSM) in Thai Nguyen, a province in northern Vietnam.

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Article Synopsis
  • The HIV epidemic in Vietnam primarily affects key populations, such as people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and sex workers, who have limited access to traditional HIV testing services.
  • To improve testing rates, community-driven approaches like lay provider and self-testing, alongside assisted partner notification (aPN), were implemented starting in 2017.
  • From January 2017 to May 2018, nearly 4,000 individuals were tested, with more than 94% of those who were HIV-positive starting antiretroviral therapy, demonstrating the effectiveness of these community-based strategies.
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