Top

Published in:

01-09-2021 | Human Immunodeficiency Virus | Substantive Review

A Systematic Review of the Social Network Strategy to Optimize HIV Testing in Key Populations to End the Epidemic in the United States

Authors: Kristefer Stojanovski, Gary Naja-Riese, Elizabeth J. King, Jonathan D. Fuchs

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 9/2021

Abstract

The United States (U.S.) has a plan to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. The plan’s first pillar prioritizes HIV testing. Social Network Strategy (SNS) is an intervention to reach persons not routinely testing for HIV. We conducted a systematic review of SNS to understand its implementation to optimize HIV testing in the U.S. among key populations. The eligibility criteria included peer-reviewed papers based in the U.S. and focused on HIV testing. We identified and thematically analyzed 14 articles to explore factors associated with successful implementation. Key themes included: (1) social network and recruiter characteristics; (2) strategies for and effectiveness of recruiting key populations; (3) use of and types of incentives; (4) trust, confidentiality, and stigma concerns; and (5) implementation plans and real-world guidance. Cohort studies indicated that SNS detects more incident HIV cases. Partnerships with health departments are critical to confirm new diagnoses, as are developing plans that support recruiters and staff. SNS is a promising strategy to optimize HIV testing among key populations.

HIV.gov. What is ‘Ending the HIV epidemic: a plan for America’? Ending the HIV epidemic. 2019.

Rodger AJ, Cambiano V, Bruun T, Vernazza P, Collins S, Degen O, et al. Risk of HIV transmission through condomless sex in serodifferent gay couples with the HIV-positive partner taking suppressive antiretroviral therapy (PARTNER): final results of a multicentre, prospective, observational study. Lancet [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2019]: [2428 p.]. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140673619304180

Cohen MS, Chen YQ, McCauley M, Gamble T, Hosseinipour MC, Kumarasamy N, et al. Prevention of HIV-1 infection with early antiretroviral therapy. N Engl J Med [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2011 Aug 11]: [493–505 pp]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3624763/pdf/nihms412728.pdf

Grant R, Lama J, Anderson P, McMahan V, Liu A, Vargas L, et al. Preexposure chemoprohylaxis for HIV prevention in men who have sex with men. N Engl J Med. 2010;2010:2587–99.CrossRef

Abdool KQ, Abdool Karim SS, Frohlich JA, Grobler AC, Baxter C, Mansoor LE, et al. Effectiveness and safety of tenofovir gel, an antiretroviral microbicide, for the prevention of HIV infection in women. Science. 2010;329:1168–74.CrossRef

Choopanya K, Martin M, Suntharasamai P, Sangkum U, Mock PA, Leethochawalit M, et al. Antiretroviral prophylaxis for HIV infection in injecting drug users in Bangkok, Thailand (the Bangkok Tenofovir Study): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2013]: [2083–2090 pp]. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61127-7

Baeten JM, Donnell D, Ndase P, Mugo NR, Campbell JD, Wangisi J, et al. Antiretroviral Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention in Heterosexual Men and Women. N Engl J Med [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2012]: 120711140017009. Available from: http://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1108524

Vasylyeva TI, Friedman SR, Paraskevis D, Magiorkinis G. Integrating molecular epidemiology and social network analysis to study infectious diseases: towards a socio-molecular era for public health. Infect Genet Evol [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2016]: [248–55 pp.]. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2016.05.042

Morgan E, Skaathun B, Schneider JA. Sexual, social, and genetic network overlap: a socio-molecular approach toward public health intervention of HIV. Am J Public Health. 2018;108(11):1528–34.CrossRef

10.

Parsons JT, Rendina HJ, Lassiter JM, Whitfield THF, Starks TJ, Grov C. Uptake of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (prep) in a national cohort of gay and bisexual men in the United States. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2017;74(3):285–92.CrossRef

11.

Kwakwa HA, Bessias S, Sturgis D, Walton G, Wahome R, Gaye O, et al. Engaging United States Black Communities in HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis: Analysis of a PrEP Engagement Cascade. J Natl Med Assoc [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2018]: [480–485. pp]. Available from: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnma.2017.12.006

12.

Gardner EM, McLees MP, Steiner JF, Del Rio C, Burman WJ. The spectrum of engagement in HIV care and its relevance to test-and-treat strategies for prevention of HIV infection. Clin Infect Dis. 2011;52(6):793–800.CrossRef

13.

HIV.gov. U.S. Statistics, Surveillance, People with HIV. Centers for disease control and prevention. 2019.

14.

Tributino A, Montgomery MC, Bertrand T, Marak T, Almonte A, Van Den Berg J, et al. Partner notification outcomes after integration of an on-site disease intervention specialist at a sexually transmitted disease clinic. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):1–8.CrossRef

15.

Hogben M, Collins D, Hoots B, O’Connor K. Partner services in sexually transmitted disease prevention programs: a review. Sex Transm Dis. 2016;43(2):S53-62.CrossRef

16.

Hogben M, McNally T, McPheeters M, Hutchinson AB. The effectiveness of HIV partner counseling and referral services in increasing identification of HIV-positive individuals a systematic review. Am J Prev Med. 2007;33(2):89–100.CrossRef

17.

Johnson CC, Kennedy C, Fonner V, Siegfried N, Figueroa C, Dalal S, et al. Examining the effects of HIV self-testing compared to standard HIV testing services: A systematic review and meta-Analysis. J Int AIDS Soc [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2017]: [1–10 pp.]. Available from: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.7448/IAS.20.1.21594

18.

Carnevale C, Richards P, Cohall R, Choe J, Zitaner J, Hall N, et al. At-home testing for sexually transmitted infections during the covid-19 pandemic. Sex Transm Dis. 2021;48(1):11–4.CrossRef

19.

Menza TW, Garai J, Ferrer J, Hecht J. Rapid Uptake of Home-Based HIV Self-testing During Social Distancing for SARS-CoV2 Infection in Oregon. AIDS Behav [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021]: [167–170 pp.]. Available from: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-02959-2

20.

DiNenno EA, Prejean J, Irwin K, Delaney KP, Bowles K, Martin T, et al. Recommendations for HIV screening of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men—United States, 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(31):830–2.CrossRef

21.

Campbell CK, Lippman SA, Moss N, Lightfoot M. Strategies to Increase HIV Testing Among MSM: A Synthesis of the Literature. AIDS Behav [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2018]: [2387–2412 pp.]. Available from: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2083-8

22.

Biernacki P, Waldorf D. Snowball sampling: problems and techniques of chain referral sampling. Sociol Methods Res. 1981;10(2):141–63.CrossRef

23.

Heckathorn DD. Respondent-driven sampling ii: deriving valid population estimates from chain-referral samples of hidden populations. Soc Probl [Internet]. 2002 [cited 2002]: [11–34 pp.]. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/socpro/article-lookup/doi/https://doi.org/10.1525/sp.2002.49.1.11

24.

Coombs A, McFarland W, Ick T, Fuqua V, Buchbinder SP, Fuchs JD. Long-chain peer referral to recruit black MSM and black transgender women for an HIV vaccine efficacy trial. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014;66(4):1–6.CrossRef

25.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of social networks to identify persons with undiagnosed HIV infection—seven U.S. Cities, October 2003—September. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2005;54(24):601–5.

26.

Liu W, Sidhu A, Beacom AM, Valente TW. Social network theory. In: Rossler P, Hoffner CA, van Zoonen L, editors. The international encylopedia of media effects. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc; 2017.

27.

Freeman LC. Centrality in social networks conceptual clarification. Soc Netw. 1978;1(3):215–39.CrossRef

28.

Marsden PV. Egocentric and sociocentric measures of network centrality. Soc Netw. 2002;24(4):407–22.CrossRef

29.

Ajzen I. The theory of planned behavior. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process. 1991;50:179–211.CrossRef

30.

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, Altman D, Antes G, et al. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Med. 2009;6(7):e1000097.CrossRef

31.

Vaismoradi M, Turunen H, Bondas T. Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nurs Heal Sci. 2013;15(3):398–405.CrossRef

32.

Gaiter JL, Johnson WD, Taylor E, Thadiparthi S, Duncan-Alexander T, Lemon C, et al. Sisters empowered, sisters aware: three strategies to recruit African American women for HIV testing. AIDS Educ Prev. 2013;25(3):190–202.CrossRef

33.

Schumann C, Kahn D, Broaddus M, Dougherty J, Elderbrook M, Vergeront J, et al. Implementing a standardized social networks testing strategy in a low HIV prevalence jurisdiction. AIDS Behav [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2018]: [1–7 pp.]. Available from: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2146-x

34.

McGoy SL, Pettit AC, Morrison M, Alexander LR, Johnson P, Williams B, et al. Use of social network strategy among young black men who have sex with men for HIV testing, linkage to care, and reengagement in care, Tennessee, 2013–2016. Public Health Rep [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2018]: [43S–51S pp.]. Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354918801893

35.

Rentz MF, Ruffner AH, Ancona RM, Hart KW, Kues JR, Barczak CM, et al. Pilot Integration of HIV screening and healthcare settings with multi—component social network and partner testing for HIV detection. Curr HIV Res [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2017]: [372–381 pp.]. Available from: http://www.eurekaselect.com/156436/article

36.

Shrestha RK, Sansom SL, Kimbrough L, Hutchinson AB, Daltry D, Maldonado W, et al. Cost-effectiveness of using social networks to identify undiagnosed HIV infection among minority populations. J Public Heal Manag Pract. 2010;16(5):457–64.CrossRef

37.

Zulliger R, Maulsby C, Solomon L, Baytop C, Orr A, Nasrullah M, et al. Cost-utility of HIV testing programs among men who have sex with men in the United States. AIDS Behav. 2017;21(3):619–25.CrossRef

38.

McCree DH, Millett G, Baytop C, Royal S, Ellen J, Halkitis PN, et al. Lessons learned from use of social network strategy in HIV testing programs targeting African American men who have sex with men. Am J Public Health. 2013;103(10):1851–6.CrossRef

39.

Baytop C, Royal S, Hubbard McCree D, Simmons R, Tregerman R, Robinson C, et al. Comparison of strategies to increase HIV testing among African-American gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Washington, DC. AIDS Care—Psychol Socio-Medical Asp AIDS/HIV [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2014]: [608–612 pp.]. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2013.845280

40.

Boyer CB, Hightow-Weidman L, Bethel J, Li SX, Henry-Reid L, Futterman D, et al. An assessment of the feasibility and acceptability of a friendship-based social network recruitment strategy to screen at-risk african american and hispanic/latina young women for HIV infection. JAMA Pediatr. 2013;167(3):289–96.CrossRef

41.

Boyer CB, Robles-Schrader GM, Li SX, Miller RL, Korelitz J, Price GN, et al. A comparison of network-based strategies for screening at- risk hispanic/latino adolescents and young adults for undiagnosed asymptomatic HIV infection. J Adolesc Heal. 2014;55(6):765–73.CrossRef

42.

Ellen JM, McCree DH, Muvva R, Chung SE, Miazad RM, Arrington-Sanders R, et al. Recruitment approaches to identifying newly diagnosed HIV infection among African American men who have sex with men. Int J STD AIDS. 2013;24(5):335–9.CrossRef

43.

Halkitis PN, Kupprat SA, McCree DH, Simons SM, Jabouin R, Hampton MC, et al. Evaluation of the relative effectiveness of three HIV testing strategies targeting African American men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City. Ann Behav Med. 2011;42(3):361–9.CrossRef

44.

Kimbrough LW, Fisher HE, Jones KT, Johnson W, Thadiparthi S, Dooley S. Accessing social networks with high rates of undiagnosed HIV infection: the social networks demonstration project. Am J Public Health. 2009;99(6):1093–9.CrossRef

45.

Lightfoot MA, Campbell CK, Moss N, Treves-kagan S, Agnew E, Dufour MK, et al. Using a social network strategy to distribute HIV self-test kits to African American and Latino MSM. JAIDS. 2018;79(1):38–45.PubMed

46.

Lightfoot MA, Campbell CK, Moss N, Treves-Kagan S, Agnew E, Kang Dufour M-S, et al. Using a social network strategy to distribute HIV self-test kits to African American and Latino MSM. JAIDS J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2018]: [38–45 pp.]. Available from: http://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00126334-201809010-00006

47.

Jain KM, Holtgrave DR, Maulsby C, Kim JJ, Zulliger R, Massey M, et al. Improving access to HIV care Lessons from five cities. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 2016.

Title: A Systematic Review of the Social Network Strategy to Optimize HIV Testing in Key Populations to End the Epidemic in the United States
Authors: Kristefer Stojanovski
Gary Naja-Riese
Elizabeth J. King
Jonathan D. Fuchs
Publication date: 01-09-2021
Publisher: Springer US
Keyword: Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Published in: AIDS and Behavior / Issue 9/2021
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03259-z

ACC 2024 Congress Coverage

Heart Failure Video

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

A Systematic Review of the Social Network Strategy to Optimize HIV Testing in Key Populations to End the Epidemic in the United States

Abstract

ACC 2024 Congress Coverage

Year in Review: Heart failure and cardiomyopathies

Semaglutide benefits people with type 2 diabetes and obesity-related heart failure

Incentivised to exercise

New intervention for STEMI-related cardiogenic shock

» View more highlights on the ACC 2024 congress hub page

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 9/2021

Male Partner Involvement and Development of HIV-exposed Infants in Rural South Africa

Assessment of PrEP Awareness, PrEP Discussion with a Provider, and PrEP Use by Transmission Risk Group with an Emphasis on the Southern United States

Psychosocial Mechanisms of Self-rated Successful Aging with HIV: A Structural Equation Model

HIV and Substance Use Stigma, Intersectional Stigma and Healthcare Among HIV-Positive PWID in Russia

Mindfulness, Mental Health and HIV Outcomes Among Female Sex Workers in the Dominican Republic and Tanzania

The Patient Reported Outcomes as a Clinical Tool (PROACT) Pilot Study: What Can be Gained by Sharing Computerized Patient-Reported Mental Health and Substance Use Symptoms with Providers in HIV Care?

ACC 2024 Congress Coverage

Year in Review: Heart failure and cardiomyopathies

Semaglutide benefits people with type 2 diabetes and obesity-related heart failure

Incentivised to exercise

New intervention for STEMI-related cardiogenic shock

» View more highlights on the ACC 2024 congress hub page