HIV Incidence in Botswana Rural Communities With High Antiretroviral Treatment Coverage: Results From the Botswana Combination Prevention Project, 2013-2017.

Challenge

Despite achieving near-UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets in Botswana's rural communities, annual HIV incidence remained approximately 1%—predominantly affecting young women—but the precise rates and epidemiologic characteristics of new infections had not been measured.

Solution

Target RWE's HIV team analyzed incident HIV infection data from the Botswana Combination Prevention Project to measure HIV incidence rates among repeat testers and identify demographic and behavioral risk factors in 15 intervention communities.

Impact

Establishing that HIV incidence remains high even at near-90-90-90 treatment coverage provides HIV prevention program designers with evidence needed to target supplementary prevention interventions at the most vulnerable population subgroups.