Facilitators of HTS uptake among children of parents living with HIV in Nigeria

Abstract Background In 2019, 36% of the 150,000 children less than 15 years of age living with HIV in Nigeria knew their status, and were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Literature on HIV-positive parents getting their children tested for HIV is limited. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted across six geopolitical zones of Nigeria with 101 eligible people living with HIV who had at least one living biological child <15 years of age at the time of the adult’s diagnosis. Interview questions focused on participants’ perspectives on the facilitators and barriers to uptake of HIV testing services for their biological children. All interview transcripts and researchers’ field notes were analysed using MAXQDA (v.12) (VERBI Software (2016) by theme and content using the framework analysis and analytic induction methodologies for qualitative research. Results Facilitators to HTS for children of PLHIV included: PLHIV’s positive status, PLHIV’s partner’s HIV status, and continuous education by health care workers. Reported barriers included the parent’s perception of the child’s health status, family dynamics, and structural and socio-economic challenges. Conclusion The right combination of interventions including those that encourage care providers to render services in a way that elicits a demand for services from clients is critical for improving uptake of HTS for children of PLHIV.