You are here

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Volume 8, Issue Suppl 10
  • PA-745 Purpose and options for integration of the Genital InFlammation Test (GIFT) into a sexually transmitted infection management pathway using an adapted delphi process

Article Text

Article menu

Download PDFPDF

Abstracts of Poster and e-Poster Presentations
PA-745 Purpose and options for integration of the Genital InFlammation Test (GIFT) into a sexually transmitted infection management pathway using an adapted delphi process
Free
  1. Eneyi Kpokiri1,
  2. Constance Mackworth-Young1,
  3. Suzanna Francis1,
  4. Katharina Kranzer1,
  5. Tania Crucitti2,
  6. Lindi Masson3,4,5,6,
  7. Jo-Ann Passmore3,7,8,
  8. Emma Harding-Esch1
  1. 1London School Of Hygiene And Tropical Medicine, UK
  2. 2Institute Pasteur de Madagascar, Madagascar
  3. 3Division of Medical Virology, Dept. of Pathology, University of Cape Town, South Africa
  4. 4Burnet Institute, Australia
  5. 5Central Clinical School, Monash University, Australia
  6. 6Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa
  7. 7DST-NRF CAPRISA Centres of Excellence in HIV prevention, University of Cape Town, South Africa
  8. 8National Health Laboratory Services, South Africa

Abstract

Background Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are often asymptomatic in women but cause genital inflammation, which increases HIV risk. The Genital InFlammation Test (GIFT) point-of-care device for detecting genital inflammation is being developed and evaluated. We aimed to explore the main purpose of GIFT and potential integration points within World Health Organization (WHO) STI guideline pathways.

Methods An adapted Delphi method was employed to gather input from experts in the field of STI/BV management. Health service providers, programmers, researchers and policy makers were recruited as respondents. The survey was designed with input from the project’s International Advisory Board. Round-one had open-ended questions, including on the purpose of GIFT. Themes from round-one informed the round-two survey, which included integration points for the device into guidelines for the management of STIs/BV (WHO, 2021). Responses were measured on a 5-point Likert scale (strongly agree to strongly disagree) to build consensus. Consensus was reached if ≥70% of participants selected strongly agree or agree.

Results A total of 79 experts responded across both rounds. Most participants were aged 25–54 years, and 58% of respondents were female. Feedback from round-one suggested the GIFT device would be best used to screen for inflammation prior to etiological diagnosis. Round-two survey results showed that WHO-recommended syndromic management pathways 3 and 4 (where molecular assays and point-of-care tests are not available) are ideal integration points for the GIFT device in STI management.

Conclusion The GIFT device promises to be a valuable point-of-care screening tool for detecting genital inflammation in asymptomatic women and may be useful to inform the management of women with symptoms. The device would be of greatest value in resource-constrained settings where molecular assays and other rapid diagnostics are lacking. Stakeholder consultations will facilitate its roll-out and use within healthcare systems.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-EDC.287

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.