Evaluating an HIV risk screening tool for use in a population of orphans and other vulnerable children in Tanzania

To optimize HIV testing resources, programs are moving away from opt-out strategies toward a symptom-screen approach to testing children/adolescents, but there is little consensus around what defines an optimal risk screening tool. This study aimed to validate a 12-item risk screening tool among children and adolescents age 2-19 years and provide suggested fewer-item tool options for facility out-patient and community populations. While HIV risk screening tool validation studies have not typically included process evaluations to understand tool implementation, we also aimed to assess the fidelity to which an HIV risk screening tool was administered in the community.