HIV and HCV rapid testing in low threshold settings for PWUD

This course has been designed to be a complete tool to provide staff in low-threshold settings the knowledge, skills and techniques needed for testing people who use drugs for HIV and HCV and linking them to needed care. It was developed within the EU-funded programme, Joint Action on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis among People Who Inject Drugs in Europe (HA-REACT).

Main topics:

  • Basic information about HIV, HCV, and TB
  • What types of HIV and HCV tests exists and how they work
  • The standards of test counselling
  • Understanding philosophy of harm reduction
  • Addressing gender issues within existing services and developing gender-specific services
  • Integrated approaches in relation to substance use and HIV/HCV testing
  • What can be done to support linkage
  • How to choose the right tools and understand the meaning of quality
  • Standards for HIV and HCV testing in prison settings

8 modules with 50 activities

In this module you will learn:

  • The biology of HIV and HCV; 
  • Modes of transmission of HIV and HCV; 
  • Screening and diagnosis methods for HIV and HCV; 
  • HIV and HCV treatment options;
  • Basic information about tuberculosis.

By the end of the session participants will understand:

  • What types of HIV and HCV tests exists
  • How they work, and 
  • What the ‘window period’ is.

In this module participants will get to know:

  • The standards of pre-test and post-test counselling;
  • The procedure of counselling;
  • Importance of counselling.

By the end of the module you will be able to:

  • Understand philosophy of harm reduction;
  • Have concrete plans for developing their existing services and adding new services;
  • Understand public health ethical priorities of low-threshold services and negligence of not addressing behaviours that cause infections;
  • Engage PWUD in discussions about minimizing risks.

In this module participants will learn to:

  • Offer suggestions for mainstreaming gender into existing services for PWUD;
  • Expand access to women who use drugs (WUD) through appropriate gender-sensitive and gender-specific services;
  • Address gender issues within existing services and/or to develop gender-specific services;
  • Setting targets for scale-up to improve access to comprehensive HIV and care services, expanding coverage among WUD.

By the end of the module participants will understand:

  • Integrated approaches in relation to substance use and HIV/HCV testing;
  • The role of low threshold settings in improving linkage;
  • Main barriers to service integration;
  • What can be done to support linkage.

In this module participants will learn about:

  • Quality improvement tools;
  • How to choose the right tool;
  • The meaning of quality.

In the final module participants will learn about:

  • An example of a German testing intervention for prison;
  • Requirements for test interventions in prison settings;
  • Standards for HIV and HCV testing in prison settings.

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Learning paths

In partnership with:
ISFF
FUAS
Correlation Network