[Longitudinal analysis of technical efficiency of voluntary counseling and testing of HIV in China]

Abstract

Objective: To longitudinally analyze the unit costs and technical efficiency of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) voluntary counseling and testing in China.

Methods: Unit costs were calculated by the province and period using longitudinal data from 7 provinces covered by Global Fund China AIDS Program Round 3, and then technical efficiency and Malmquist indices were measured with an approach to data envelopment analysis.

Results: The unit costs for HIV voluntary counseling and testing changed dramatically over a 3(+)-year period, decreasing from 165.97 Yuan (mean) to 53.41 Yuan, with an accumulative unit cost of 67.19 Yuan, and its technical efficiency was averaging between 0.44 and 0.63.

Conclusion: The time series of unit costs for HIV voluntary counseling and testing formed a U-shape curve with an inflection point before which unit costs dramatically dropped and another inflection point beyond which unit costs went up. These findings can inform program managers of the changing unit costs when extending or expanding HIV prevention efforts.