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. 2016 Jun;27(7):531-6.
doi: 10.1177/0956462415586676. Epub 2015 May 12.

Acceptability and feasibility of HIV self-testing among men who have sex with men in Peru and Brazil

Jonathan E Volk  1 , Sheri A Lippman  2 , Beatriz Grinsztejn  3 , Javier R Lama  4 , Nilo M Fernandes  3 , Pedro Gonzales  4 , Nancy A Hessol  5 , Susan Buchbinder  6
Affiliations

Acceptability and feasibility of HIV self-testing among men who have sex with men in Peru and Brazil

Jonathan E Volk et al. Int J STD AIDS. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

HIV self-testing has the potential to increase testing frequency and uptake. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of HIV self-testing in a sample of sexually active men who have sex with men (MSM) in Peru and Brazil. Participants were trained to use a whole blood rapid HIV self-test and instructed to use the self-test monthly during this three-month study. Test acceptability was measured with self-reported use of the test at the one-month and three-month study visits, and test feasibility was assessed by direct observation of self-test administration at the final three-month visit. A total of 103 participants (52 in Peru and 51 in Brazil) were enrolled, and 86% completed the three-month study. Nearly all participants reported use of the self-test (97% at one-month and 98% at three-month visit), and all participants correctly interpreted the self-administered test results when observed using the test at the final study visit. HIV self-testing with a blood-based assay was highly acceptable and feasible. HIV self-testing may have the potential to increase testing frequency and to reach high-risk MSM not currently accessing HIV-testing services.

Keywords: AIDS; HIV; MSM; South America; diagnosis; homosexual; men; screening; self-testing; viral disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Chembio Diagnostic Systems, Inc. donated the test kits, but had no participation in study design, implementation, analyses or drafting of this manuscript. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the City and County of San Francisco; nor does mention of the San Francisco Department of Public Health imply its endorsement.

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