Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (Dec 2022)

Social Network Strategy to Promote HIV Testing and Linkage to HIV Services among Young men who Have sex with men and Transgender Women in Thailand

  • Nantika Paiboon MD,
  • Wipaporn Natalie Songtaweesin MBBS,
  • Prissana Wongharn BSc, MSc,
  • Jutamanee Moonwong BSc, ME,
  • Sasiprapha Khamthi BEd,
  • Athiporn Premgamone MD,
  • Tuangtip Theerawit B.S.N, MPH,
  • Chutima Saisaengjan BSc, MA,
  • Surinda Kawichai MSc, PhD,
  • Suvaporn Anugulruengkitt MD, PhD,
  • Thanyawee Puthanakit MD, MHS

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/23259582221143672
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21

Abstract

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Background: Social network strategies (SNS) assumes that people in the same social share similar HIV risk. Methods: This study evaluated SNS to promote HIV testing of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and transgender women (YTGW) aged 15–24 years. “Recruiters” referred their ‘network members’ (NMs) to clinic. NMs were provided HIV testing. Proportions of first-time HIV testers and number of NMs were analyzed. Results: Between April 2021 to March 2022, 83 recruiters referred 202 NMs. Median age of NMs was 19 years (IQR 17-20), 62% were YMSM. One-hundred-and-twenty-four NMs (61%) were first-time HIV testers. YTGW recruited more NMs per recruiter (5.4 vs 1.4, p = 0.002). HIV prevalence was 3.0% (95% CI 1.1-6.4). Thirty-one-point-three percent of NMs at HIV risk initiated oral HIV preexposure prophylaxis. Conclusions: SNS is a good strategy to reach adolescents at risk of HIV infection. More than half of NMs were first-time HIV testers.