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The Role of Private Health Providers in HIV Testing: Analysis of Data from 18 Countries

This analysis examines the role of the private health sector in HIV testing. It uses data from Demographic and Health Surveys and AIDS Indicators Surveys to explore the extent to which this sector provides HIV testing in 18 developing countries. The analysis shows that use of the private sector for HIV testing varies significantly by country, with private for-profit providers playing a significant role in some countries and a relatively minor one in others. These results suggest that strategies for supervising and engaging private health providers with regard to HIV testing should be country specific and take into account local context.

This analysis was published in the International Journal for Equity in Health in 2014.