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Introduction: In South Africa, older adults make up a growing proportion of people living with HIV. HIV programmes are likely to reach older South Africans in home-based interventions where testing is not always feasible. We evaluate the accuracy of self-reported HIV status, which may provide useful information for targeting interventions or offer an alternative to biomarker testing. Methods: Data were taken from the Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI) baseline survey, which was conducted in rural Mpumalanga province, South Africa. A total of 5059 participants aged >40 years were interviewed from 2014 to 2015. Self-reported HIV status and dried bloodspots for HIV biomarker testing were obtained during at-home interviews. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for self-reported status compared to 'gold standard' biomarker results. Logbinomial regression explored associations between demographic characteristics, antiretroviral therapy (ART) status and sensitivity of self-report. Results: Most participants (93%) consented to biomarker testing. Of those with biomarker results, 50.9% reported knowing their HIV status and accurately reported it. PPV of self-report was 94.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 92.0-96.0), NPV was 87.2% (95% CI: 86.2-88.2), sensitivity was 51.2% (95% CI: 48.2-54.3) and specificity was 99.0% (95% CI: 98.7-99.4). Participants on ART were more likely to report their HIV-positive status, and participants reporting false-negatives were more likely to have older HIV tests. Conclusions: The majority of participants were willing to share their HIV status. False-negative reports were largely explained by lack of testing, suggesting HIV stigma is retreating in this setting, and that expansion of HIV testing and retesting is still needed in this population. In HIV interventions where testing is not possible, self-reported status should be considered as a routine first step to establish HIV status. Keywords: Validation study; South Africa; HIV status; self-report; older adults; public health, Introduction The HIV epidemic in South Africa has vastly changed over the past decade with the expansion of testing, treatment and prevention programmes, leading to increases in life expectancy, less [...]

Objective To compare national human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) policies influencing access to HIV testing and treatment services in six sub-Saharan African countries. Methods We reviewed HIV policies as part of a multi-country study on adult mortality In sub-Saharan Africa. A policy extraction tool was developed and used to review national HIV policy documents and guidelines published in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe between 2003 and 2013. Key informant interviews helped to fill gaps in findings. National policies were categorized according to whether they explicitly or implicitly adhered to 54 policy indicators, identified through literature and expert reviews. We also compared the national policies with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance. Findings There was wide variation in policies between countries; each country was progressive in some areas and not In others. Malawi was particularly advanced in promoting rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy. However, no country had a consistently enabling policy context expected to increase access to care and prevent attrition. Countries went beyond WHO guidance In certain areas and key informants reported that practice often surpassed policy. Conclusion Evaluating the impact of policy differences on access to care and health outcomes among people living with HIV Is challenging. Certain policies will exert more influence than others and official policies are not always implemented. Future research should assess the extent of policy Implementation and link these findings with HIV outcomes. Objectif Comparer les politiques nationales de lutte contre le virus de Hmmunodefidence humaine (VIH) qui Influenced l'acces aux services de depistage et de traitement du VIH dans six pays d'Afrique subsaharienne. Methodes Nous avons examine les politiques de lutte contre le VIH dans le cadre d'une etude multi-pays sur la mortalite des adultes en Afrique subsaharienne. Un outil d'extraction de donnees a ete mis au point et utllise afin d'examlner les documents et les directives des politiques nationales de lutte contre le VIH publles en Afrique du Sud, au Kenya, au Malawi, en Ouganda, en Republique-Unie deTanzanie et au Zimbabwe entre 2003 et 2013. Des entretiens avec des informateurs cles ont permis de combler les carences de ces resultats. Les politiques nationales ont ete classees suivant leur degre de correspondance, explicite ou implicite, avec 54 indicateurs relatlfs aux politiques, determines d'apres des analyses documentales et des examens d'experts. Nous avons egalement compare les politiques nationales avec les recommandations de l'Organisation mondlale de la Sante (QMS). Resultats Nous avons observe de grandes differences entre les politiques de ces pays; chaque pays etait avance dans certains domaines et pas dans d'autres. Le Malawi l'etait particulierement en matiere de promotion du demarrage rapidedu traitement antiretroviral. Cependant, aucun pays n'avalt un contexte politique pouvant systematiquement permettre d'augmenter l'acces aux soins et d'eviter l'arret du traitement. Dans certains domaines, les pays allaient plus loin que les recommandations de l'OMS et les Informateurs ont Indique que la pratique depassait souvent le cadre des politiques. Conclusion Evaluer l'impact des differentes politiques sur l'acces aux soins et les resultats en termes de sante des personnes qul vivent avec le VIH n'est pas chose simple. Certaines politiques exercent une influence plus forte que d'autres et les politiques officielles ne sont pas toujours mises en oeuvre. Des recherches ulterleures devraient evaluer le degre de mise en oeuvre des politiques et mettre en lien leurs conclusions avec les resultats de la lutte contre le VIH. Objetivo Comparar las politicas nacionales relativas al virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) que influencian el acceso a las pruebas del VIH y a los tratamientos en seis paises sub-saharianos. Metodos Se revisaron las politicas relativas al VIH como parte de un estudio multinacional sobre la mortalidad de adultos en Africa Subsahanana. Se desarrollo una herramienta de extraccion de politicas y se utilizo para revisar los documentos y guias de las politicas nacionales relativas al VIH publicadas en Kenla, Malawi, Republica Unida de Tanzanla, Sudafrica, Uganda y Zlmbabue entre 2003 y 2013. Se hicieron entrevistas a Informantes claves que ayudaron a llenar los vacios en los resultados. Las politicas nacionales se clasificaron segun si se adhirieron explicita o implicitamente a 54 Indicadores de politicas, Identificados mediante bibliografia y opiniones de expertos. Asimismo, se compararon las politicas nacionales con las directrices de la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Resultados Se descubrio que habia una amplia variedad entre las politicas de los paises. Cada pais estaba mas avanzado en algunas areas que en otras. Malawi estaba especialmente avanzado en'la promocion de empezar rapidamente la terapia antirretroviral. Sin embargo, ningun pais tenia un contexto de Introduccion de politicas consistente que Incrementara el acceso a la atencion primaria y evitara la desercion. Algunos paises Iban mas alla de las orientaciones de la OMS en algunas areas e informantes clave Informaron de que la practica a menudo superaba la politica. Conclusion Evaluar el impacto de las diferencias en las politicas relativas en el acceso a la atencion primaria y los resultados en la salud entre aquellas personas con VIH es un reto. Algunas politicas ejerceran mas Influencia que otras y las politicas oficiales no siempre se aplican. Las Investigaciones futuras deberian evaluar el grado de aplicacion de las politicas y vincular estos resultados con los resultados del VIH., Introduction By the end of 2012, more than 7.5 million of the estimated 23.5 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Africa were receiving treatment, compared to only [...]