LEGAL AGE OF CONSENT FOR HIV TESTING AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN SUB SAHARAN AFRICA, A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) harbours more than 80% of adolescents living with HIV. High age of consent for HIV testing has been identified as one of the key barriers to adolescents’ access to HIV testing. We conducted a systematic literature review to demonstrate the status of age of consent policies in SSA and evidence of relationship between age of consent policies and adolescent’s uptake of HIV testing. We obtained peer reviewed literature from Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases and policy review from national HIV testing guidelines and UNAIDS data reports. Age of consent for HIV testing in the region ranged between 12 and 18 years. Among 33 included countries, 14 (42.4%) had age of consent between 12 – 14 years, 9 (27.3%) had age of consent between 15 – 17 years and 10 countries (30.3%) still have the highest age of consent at 18 years as of 2019. Lowering age of consent has been associated with increased access to HIV testing among adolescents.