INTEGRATE has worked on optimizing and support the normalisation of testing and linkage to care for HIV, viral hepatitis, TB and STIs and through the adaptation and implementation of relevant innovative tools to support health care and civil society staff in offering testing across Europe and in different settings, specifically health care settings and community settings. Further INTEGRATE has worked with expanding self HIV self-testing and Home sampling. All tools and pilot cases studies are available on the website: https://www.eurotest.org/Testing-Tools And listed below here:

Integrated testing in health care settings – Indicator Condition (IC) guided testing

Targeted testing in healthcare settings, such as HIV Indicator Condition (IC) guided HIV testing has shown to be an effective and cost-effective testing strategy supported by many European countries and is also included in the ECDC 2010 HIV testing guidance. However, testing rates in well-established HIV Indicator conditions remain unacceptably low, reflecting missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis. As an example, all patients presenting with STIs, TB or hepatitis ought to be routinely offered an HIV test, in the same way as most countries routinely offer HIV tests to all pregnant women, but this is far from being the case.

 

INTEGRATE has worked on expanding IC-guided HIV testing in health care settings in Romania, Lithuania and Spain and has worked on adapting tools and materials initially developed for HIV testing to support expanded integrated multiple disease testing for STIs, hepatitis and TB in health care settings.

Deliverable

Toolkit to increase testing and linkage to care in health care settings 

• Country specific tool kit to increase testing and linkage to care in health care settings including GPs in selected countries (IC guided testing)

Integrated testing in community settings

Testing and early diagnosis, and subsequent linkage to treatment and prevention services is key to controlling the epidemics. European Testing Week (ETW) is an annual initiative (since 2013) aiming at promoting testing for HIV and viral hepatitis in Europe. INTEGRATE has in collaboration with ETW implemented the Spring European Testing week as a second annual testing week in Europe. 

INTEGRATE has adapted resources initially developed for HIV testing, such as publicity materials, information leaflets, and risk groups specific materials, to include testing for viral hepatitis and STIs. The new tools and materials have been piloted in community and low threshold testing services across Europe.

Deliverable 

Innovative and integrated approaches for testing information package

• Information package on innovative testing activities and integrated approaches to testing and linkage to care for European testing week participants and other organisations involved in testing of key populations 

Self-testing and home-sampling

INTEGRATE has worked on developing tools and methods to support the expansion of testing strategies for self-testing and home-sampling and explored potential for expanding access to self-testing across Europe. Self-testing and home-sampling uses new technologies in rapid testing and specimen collection to increase access to and uptake of testing and provide the opportunity for individuals to test conveniently and discreetly in the privacy their own home - with either an immediate result (self-testing) or subsequent notification after sending a sample for testing (home-sampling). Two pilot interventions were done in Lithuania and Italy. 

Deliverable 

HIV home sampling and home-testing and linkage to care toolkit 

• This report describes the utility of self-testing and self-sampling for HIV and STIs, barriers to use and strategies to overcome these barriers, with recommendations, key considerations and case studies for how to scale-up access to self-testing and self-sampling