Temporal discrepancies in "rapid" HIV testing: explaining misdiagnoses at the point-of-care in Zimbabwe.
BMC Infect Dis
; 23(1): 9, 2023 Jan 06.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36609232
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Rapid diagnostic tests have revolutionized the HIV response in low resource and high HIV prevalence settings. However, disconcerting levels of misdiagnosis at the point-of-care call for research into their root causes. As rapid HIV tests are technologies that cross borders and have inscribed within them assumptions about the context of implementation, we set out to explore the (mis)match between intended and actual HIV testing practices in Zimbabwe.METHODS:
We examined actual HIV testing practices through participant observations in four health facilities and interviews with 28 rapid HIV testers. As time was identified as a key sphere of influence in thematic analyses of the qualitative data, a further layer of analysis juxtaposed intended (as scripted in operating procedures) and actual HIV testing practices from a temporal perspective.RESULTS:
We uncover substantial discrepancies between the temporal flows assumed and inscribed into rapid HIV test kits (their intended use) and those presented by the high frequency testing and low resource and staffing realities of healthcare settings in Zimbabwe. Aside from pointing to temporal root causes of misdiagnosis, such as the premature reading of test results, our findings indicate that the rapidity of rapid diagnostic technologies is contingent on a slow, steady, and controlled environment. This not only adds a different dimension to the meaning of "rapid" HIV testing, but suggests that errors are embedded in the design of the diagnostic tests and testing strategies from the outset, by inscribing unrealistic assumptions about the context within which they used.CONCLUSION:
Temporal analyses can usefully uncover difficulties in attuning rapid diagnostic test technologies to local contexts. Such insight can help explain potential misdiagnosis 'crisis points' in point-of-care testing, and the need for public health initiatives to identify and challenge the underlying temporal root causes of misdiagnosis.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Infecciones por VIH
/
Sistemas de Atención de Punto
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMC Infect Dis
Asunto de la revista:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Dinamarca