The (In)visibility of Misdiagnosis in Point-of-Care HIV Testing in Zimbabwe.
Skovdal, Morten;
Beckmann, Nadine;
Maswera, Rufurwokuda;
Nyamukapa, Constance;
Gregson, Simon;
(2022)
The (In)visibility of Misdiagnosis in Point-of-Care HIV Testing in Zimbabwe.
Medical anthropology, 41 (4).
pp. 404-417.
ISSN 0145-9740
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01459740.2022.2054715
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There is a global trend to introduce point-of-care diagnostic tests, enabling healthcare workers at any level to test, provide results, and initiate immediate treatment if necessary. This article explores how healthcare workers conducting rapid HIV tests - in contexts of limited external quality assurance mechanisms - ascertain the accuracy of their test results. Drawing on interview data and participant observations from health facilities in Zimbabwe, we open the black box of misdiagnosis (in)visibility and reveal a range of proxies and markers that HIV testers draw on to develop certainty, or question, the reliability of their diagnostic classifications.