Abstract #2677  -  The COBATEST project: community based testing in Europe - working together.
Authors:   Presenting Author:   Dr. Jordi Casabona i Barbara - CEEISCAT, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Badalona,
Additional Authors:
Aim: The purpose of the COBATEST Project is to contribute to promote early HIV diagnosis in Europe by means of improving the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of community-based counseling and testing practices (CBVCT). The following specific objectives have been defined: 1.- to gain a thorough understanding of CBVCT programs and services in different countries 2.- to identify and describe good practices in the implementation of CBVCT 3.- to identify a core group of indicators that can be used to monitor and evaluate CBVCT 4.- to establish a network of community-based VCT in which to perform operational research and 5.- to assess the acceptability, feasibility and impact of introducing oral rapid test technologies at community-based VCT. The Project has been financed by the European Commission, the Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya (ASPC) and Gilead Sciences. It has been implemented between 2009 and 2013, involving 13 governmental and 15 non governmental organizations from 19 different countries. An operational definition of CBVCT have been agreed as "CBVCT is any program or service that offers HIV counseling and testing on a voluntary basis outside the formal health facilities and that has been designed to target specific groups of the population most at risk and is clearly adapted for and accessible to those communities. Moreover, these services should ensure the active participation of the community with the involvement of community representatives either in planning or implementing HIV testing interventions and strategies" The deliverables of the project has been the following: 1.- a European CBVCT survey 2.- a Code of Good Practices for implementing CBVCT 3.- a Qualitative Study on CBVCT 4.- a core group of indicators for M & A 5.- the establishment of the COBATEST network with common data collection instruments and 6.- an acceptability/feasibility study to use oral fluid testing. Main finding from each of them will be presented. Finally, a summary of the lessons learned and the main conclusions and recommendations from the overall project will be also presented. For further information and access to the project documents see: www.cobatest.org
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