title: Promotion of couples' voluntary HIV counselling and testing in Lusaka, Zambia by influence network leaders and agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hypothesising that couples' voluntary counselling and testing (CVCT) promotions can increase CVCT uptake, this study identified predictors of successful CVCT promotion in Lusaka, Zambia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lusaka, Zambia.
  
  
  METHODS
  68 influential network leaders (INLs) identified 320 agents (INAs) who delivered 29 119 CVCT invitations to heterosexual couples.
  
  
  METHODS
  The CVCT promotional model used INLs who identified INAs, who in turn conducted community-based promotion and distribution of CVCT invitations in two neighbourhoods over 18 months, with a mobile unit in one neighbourhood crossing over to the other mid-way through.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome of interest was couple testing (yes/no) after receipt of a CVCT invitation. INA, couple and invitation characteristics predictive of couples' testing were evaluated accounting for two-level clustering.
  
  
  RESULTS
  INAs delivered invitations resulting in 1727 couples testing (6% success rate). In multivariate analyses, INA characteristics significantly predictive of CVCT uptake included promoting in community-based (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.3; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.8) or health (aOR=1.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.0) networks versus private networks; being employed in the sales/service industry (aOR=1.5; 95% CI 1.0 to 2.1) versus unskilled manual labour; owning a home (aOR=0.7; 95% CI 0.6 to 0.9) versus not; and having tested for HIV with a partner (aOR=1.4; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7) or alone (aOR=1.3; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.6) versus never having tested. Cohabiting couples were more likely to test (aOR=1.4; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.6) than non-cohabiting couples. Context characteristics predictive of CVCT uptake included inviting couples (aOR=1.2; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.4) versus individuals; the woman (aOR=1.6; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.2) or couple (aOR=1.4; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.8) initiating contact versus the INA; the couple being socially acquainted with the INA (aOR=1.6; 95% CI 1.4 to 1.9) versus having just met; home invitation delivery (aOR=1.3; 95% CI 1.1 to 1.5) versus elsewhere; and easy invitation delivery (aOR=1.8; 95% CI 1.4 to 2.2) versus difficult as reported by the INA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the ability of influential people to promote CVCT and identified agent, couple and context-level factors associated with CVCT uptake in Lusaka, Zambia. We encourage the development of CVCT promotions in other sub-Saharan African countries to support sustained CVCT dissemination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Kristin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kilembe
authors.forename: Azhar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nizam
authors.forename: Cheswa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vwalika
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kautzman
authors.forename: Elwyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chomba
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tichacek
authors.forename: Gurkiran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sardar
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: Faith
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mulenga
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kleinbaum
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allen