HTS index testing and partner notification

Export Indicator

Number of people who were identified and tested using index testing services and received their results
What it measures

This indicator measures the coverage and impact of the index testing cascade of services for partners and other contacts of people living with HIV, including key population members.

Rationale
  • Contact testing, including among sexual partners, has been shown to increase the diagnosis of already-infected contacts and partners of newly identified HIV cases.
  • Among serodiscordant couples, partner notification and testing can be a critical step in preventing infection of the uninfected partner.
  • Contact and/or partner notification and testing should be voluntary and provided with supportive services.
Numerator

For the general population: Number of elicited partners of people diagnosed with HIV who received HTS

Additional cascade data collected:

  • Number of people diagnosed with HIV (index cases) offered partner services
  • Number of people diagnosed with HIV (index cases) accepting partner services
  • Number of contacts/partners of people living with HIV whose information is elicited from people diagnosed with HIV (index cases).

For key populations: Number of elicited contacts of members of key populations who received HTS 

Additional cascade data collected:

  • Number of key population members offered social network-based/partner services
  • Number of key population members accepting social network-based/partner services
  • Number of contacts of key population members elicited.
Method of measurement

Programme data (HIV index testing services register or logbook, HTS registers or reporting forms)

This indicator represents a type of service cascade with the number of partners or contacts receiving HTS measuring the final service in the cascade. Drop-off can be measured with respect to those accepting services from among those offered partner/contact services as well as the number of partners/contacts receiving testing from among those whose information is elicited from index cases or key population members. If disaggregations by HIV status are available, managers can calculate the percentage of HIV-positive partners/contacts identified among those who received testing.

Disaggregation
  • By index case: gender (male, female, transgender)
  • Age (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-49, 50+)
  • HIV status of partner or contact (already knew positive, newly diagnosed positive, negative)
  • Key populations (men who have sex with men, people living in prisons and other closed settings, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender people).
Further information

WHO Strategic Information Guidelines, 2020 (https://indicatorregistry.unaids.org/sites/default/files/9789240000735-eng.pdf)

Related Indicators

HTS_INDEX, PEPFAR, MER 2.0 (Version 2.4), September 2019, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/PEPFAR-MER-Indicator-Reference-Guide-Version-2.4-FY20.pdf).