Nothing about us without us: considerations for ensuring rights‐affirming index case testing for young people

Intensified Assisted Partner Notification Implementation in Botswana Increased Partner Identification but Not HIV Case-Finding: Findings Highlight the Need for Improved Data Monitoring

“…President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEP-FAR) officials and some members of civil societies affected by HIV have recently expressed concern that some APS programs are coercive. 19,20 There is unanimity that patients have the right to refuse APS. As we consider what level of APS enrolment reflects successful, noncoercive provision of a service, public health officials should broadly consider the different stages of the APS process in which patients may decline the intervention and consider the proportion of persons who name at least 1 partner as a measure of true program participation.…”

Do No Harm: A Review of Social Harms Associated with HIV Partner Notification

“…Unequal power dynamics between health care providers and youth, particularly adolescent girls and young women, may lead to coercion and unsafe PNS, and in many countries, youth aged younger than 18 years face restrictions on their decision-making. 12 , 13 More research is needed to assess PNS preferences.…”

“…Harms that are derived from the health care system not meeting minimum standards (i.e., breaches of confidentiality, coercion, withholding treatment, and unauthorized disclosure) with PNS can serve as strong deterrents to seeking HIV testing, care, and treatment services. 7,[11][12][13] The experience of social harm can erode the trust between clients and HIV testing centers. If PNS are perceived as involuntary, people may become fearful of getting tested if they believe, perceive, or are told that they will be forced to share information about their sexual network.…”

“…9,10 However, as countries move to scale up PNS, concerns from advocacy and civil society organizations indicate that it is important to examine the complex risks and repercussions associated with HIV testing and disclosure, particularly for key populations and adolescent and young women. [11][12][13] The benefit of assisting people to learn their HIV status and link with treatment or prevention must also be considered alongside the risk of an individual experiencing an adverse event or social harm. With that in mind, we undertook a review of the literature to identify the frequency of adverse events and social harms associated with HIV PNS.…”