Access of People Living with HIV to Testing Services in Greece: A Challenge for Equity in Care

Kyriakos Souliotis (), George Tsiakalakis, Christina Golna, Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla, Nikos Dedes and Marios Lazanas
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Kyriakos Souliotis: Faculty of Social and Education Sciences, University of Peloponnese, 20100 Corinth, Greece
George Tsiakalakis: Faculty of Social and Education Sciences, University of Peloponnese, 20100 Corinth, Greece
Christina Golna: Health Policy Institute, 15123 Athens, Greece
Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla: Health Policy Institute, 15123 Athens, Greece
Nikos Dedes: Greek Association of People Living with HIV Positive Voice, 10554 Athens, Greece
Marios Lazanas: Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Department of IASO General Clinic, Hellenic Society for the Study and Control of AIDS (EEMAA), 15123 Athens, Greece

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-10

Abstract: (1) Background: Access to laboratory testing services for HIV in Greece is persistently challenged and this impacts both the continuum of care and, potentially, equity in access. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study with two parts (first part: HIV-positive people/PLWHIV; second part: HIV clinicians) was conducted in Greece to quantify challenges regarding access to laboratory testing for HIV. Data were collected through online surveys, during a one-month period, between 2019 and 2020. The total sample consisted of 153 PLWHIV and 26 HIV clinicians. (3) Results: Access to viral load testing varied significantly according to place of residence ( p = 0.029) and year of diagnosis ( p = 0.054). Patients diagnosed after 2015 reported worse access to viral load testing (72.7% vs. 85.9%). Over one third of respondents perceived viral load tests as being not at all accessible (11.4%) or somewhat accessible, only after facing multiple systemic obstacles (24.2%). Equally, most of HIV clinicians reported barriers or no access to baseline viral load testing (80%) and baseline genotype resistance tests (96%). (4) Conclusions: Access of people diagnosed with HIV to CD4 lymphocyte tests and genotype resistance screening is significantly challenged in Greece, especially after 2015. Addressing this challenge is critical in removing access barriers and achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV elimination goals.

Keywords: HIV; HIV testing; lymphocyte tests; genotype resistance; accessibly; continuity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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