Expanding options for HIV testing: A process evaluation of a community-led HIV self-testing intervention among men who have sex with men in Kenya.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya continue to face barriers to HIV testing, which leads to delays in HIV prevention and care. An HIV self-testing (HIVST) intervention was implemented in three Kenyan counties to increase coverage and frequency of HIV testing among MSM communities with high HIV prevalence. The evaluation study examined how HIVST can increase testing among MSM who are unaware of their status by increasing coverage, frequency, and early uptake of testing and support linkages to prevention and treatment.

Programmatic mapping and estimating the population size of female sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and transgender populations in Kenya.

Introduction: Effective coverage of Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention services for Key Populations (KPs) including female sex workers (FSWs), men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID) and transgender (TG) people necessitates periodic validation of physical venues and size estimates. Kenya conducted a robust size estimation of KPs in 2012 and a repeat mapping and size estimation exercise was conducted in 2018 to update KP Size Estimates and sub-typologies within each County for calculation of realistic program indicators.

Methods: A prospective mixed methods programmatic mapping approach adopted comprised two steps.

HIV acquisition prior to entry into formal sex work: inference from next-generation viral sequencing.

Objective: To infer the timing of HIV acquisition in relation to self-reported events in the sexual life course of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) who self-identify as female sex workers (FSW) in Mombasa, Kenya.

Design: Next-generation viral sequencing of samples of AGYW living with HIV in the Transitions study, a cross-sectional bio-behavioural survey of AGYW aged 14-24 years in Mombasa, Kenya.

Method: Dried blood spot specimens were collected from study participants ( n  = 37, all FSW).

Mapping virtual platforms to estimate the population size of men who have sex with men (MSM) who use internet to find sexual partners: implications to enhance HIV prevention among MSM in Kenya.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya face a disproportionate HIV disease burden. Over the last few years, the use of virtual platforms and internet sites to seek male sexual partners has increased manyfold in Kenya. New approaches are required to map, estimate and profile MSM who operate through virtual platforms to design interventions for them.

HIV testing amid COVID-19: community efforts to reach men who have sex with men in three Kenyan counties.

In comparison to European and American countries, Kenya has been less impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of reported cases and mortalities. However, everyday life has been dramatically affected by highly restrictive government-imposed measures such as stay-at-home curfews, prohibitions on mobility across national and county boundaries, and strict policing, especially of the urban poor, which has culminated in violence. This open letter highlights the effects of these measures on how three community-based organizations (CBOs) deliver HIV programs and services to highly stigmatized communities of men who have sex with men living in the counties of Kisumu, Kiambu and Mombasa.

HIV prevalence, testing and treatment among men who have sex with men through engagement in virtual sexual networks in Kenya: a cross-sectional bio-behavioural study.

Introduction: In Kenya, men who have sex with men (MSM) are increasingly using virtual sites, including web-based apps, to meet sex partners. We examined HIV testing, HIV prevalence, awareness of HIV-positive status and linkage to antiretroviral therapy (ART), for HIV-positive MSM who solely met partners via physical sites (PMSM), compared with those who did so in virtual sites (either solely via virtual sites (VMSM), or via both virtual and physical sites (DMSM)).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional bio-behavioural survey of 1200 MSM, 15 years and above, in three counties in Kenya between May and July 2019, using random sampling of physical and virtual sites.

Low program access despite high burden of sexual, structural, and reproductive health vulnerabilities among young women who sell sex in Mombasa, Kenya.

Background: Across Sub-Saharan Africa, young women who sell sex (YSW) face institutional barriers in accessing sexual health and HIV prevention programs designed for female sex workers. In 2018, Kenya developed a national framework to guide service provision for YSW aged 14-24 years. To help inform the implementation of the framework, we estimated the burden of vulnerabilities related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs related to health and gender equality) and program contact among YSW.

HIV prevention programme cascades: insights from HIV programme monitoring for female sex workers in Kenya.

Introduction: HIV prevention cascades have emerged as a programme management and monitoring tool that outlines the sequential steps of an HIV prevention programme. We describe the application of an HIV combination prevention programme cascade framework to monitor and improve HIV prevention interventions for female sex workers (FSWs) in Kenya.

Methods: Two data sources were analysed: (1) annual programme outcome surveys conducted using a polling booth survey methodology in 2017 among 4393 FSWs, and (2) routine programme monitoring data collected by (a) 92 implementing partners between July 2017 and June 2018, and (b) Learning Site in Mombasa (2014 to 2015) and Nairobi (2013).

Changes in HIV prevention programme outcomes among key populations in Kenya: Data from periodic surveys.

The Kenya National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) conducted annual polling booth surveys (PBS) in 2014 and 2015 to measure outcomes from the national HIV prevention programme for key populations (KPs), comprising behavioural, biomedical and structural interventions. KPs included female sex workers (FSWs), men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID). We compared survey results from the first and second rounds.

Monitoring HIV Prevention Programme Outcomes among Key Populations in Kenya: Findings from a National Survey.

In preparation for the implementation of the Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework 2014/15-2018/19, the Kenya National AIDS and STI Control Programme facilitated a national polling booth survey as part of a baseline assessment of HIV-related risk behaviours among FSWs, MSM, and PWID, and their utilization of existing preventive interventions, as well as structural factors that may influence KPs' vulnerability to HIV. The survey was conducted among "key populations" (female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs) to understand current HIV risk and prevention behaviours, utilization of existing programmes and services, and experiences of violence. In total, 3,448 female sex workers, 1,308 men who have sex with men, and 690 people who inject drugs were randomly selected to participate in polling booth survey sessions from seven priority sites.