Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Nov;19(11):1949-65.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-015-1097-8.

Attitudes and Acceptability on HIV Self-testing Among Key Populations: A Literature Review

Carmen Figueroa  1   2 , Cheryl Johnson  3 , Annette Verster  3 , Rachel Baggaley  3
Affiliations
Review

Attitudes and Acceptability on HIV Self-testing Among Key Populations: A Literature Review

Carmen Figueroa et al. AIDS Behav. 2015 Nov.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a potential strategy to overcome disparities in access to and uptake of HIV testing, particularly among key populations (KP). A literature review was conducted on the acceptability, values and preferences among KP. Data was analyzed by country income World Bank classification, type of specimen collection, level of support offered and other qualitative aspects. Most studies identified were from high-income countries and among men who have sex with men (MSM) who found HIVST to be acceptable. In general, MSM were interested in HIVST because of its convenient and private nature. However, they had concerns about the lack of counseling, possible user error and accuracy. Data on the values and preferences of other KP groups regarding HIVST is limited. This should be a research priority, as HIVST is likely to become more widely available, including in resource-limited settings.

Autoexaminarse para el VIH con una prueba casera, podría reducir las disparidades del acceso al diagnóstico del VIH, especialmente entre grupos de población claves. Revisamos la literatura disponible sobre la aceptabilidad, los valores y preferencias de la prueba casera en estos grupos de población. Analizamos los datos según el ingreso del país utilizando la clasificación del Banco Mundial, el tipo de muestra, la supervisión ofrecida y otros aspectos cualitativos. La mayoría de los estudios identificados fueron en países con ingresos elevados y con hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH), quienes reportaron una alta aceptabilidad de la prueba casera, debido a su practicidad y privacidad; aunque les preocupaba la falta de asesoramiento, el posible error de usuario y la precisión de la prueba. Existe poca información sobre los valores y preferencias acerca de la prueba casera en otros grupos de población vulnerable. Considerando el aumento de su disponibilidad, incluso en países con pocos recursos, debería ser un área prioritaria en la investigación.

Electronic supplementary material: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10461-015-1097-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Keywords: Acceptability; HIV self-testing; Key populations; Preferences; Values.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Selection of studies
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Studies evaluating HIV self-testing acceptability
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
HIV self-testing experience among studies evaluating acceptability
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Baral S, Beyrer C, Muessig K, Poteat T, Wirtz AL, Decker MR, et al. Burden of HIV among female sex workers in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2012;12(7):538–549. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(12)70066-X. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Baral S, Todd CS, Aumakhan B, Lloyd J, Delegchoimbol A, Sabin K. HIV among female sex workers in the Central Asian Republics, Afghanistan, and Mongolia: contexts and convergence with drug use. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013;132(Suppl 1):S13–S16. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.07.004. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Baral SD, Poteat T, Strömdahl S, Wirtz AL, Guadamuz TE, Beyrer C. Worldwide burden of HIV in transgender women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2013;13(3):214–222. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(12)70315-8. - DOI - PubMed
    1. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. Accessibility of HIV prevention, treatment and care services for people who use drugs and incarcerated people in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan: legislative and policy analysis and recommendations for reform. Ashgabat: UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia. https://www.unodc.org/documents/centralasia//Accessibility_of_HIV_preven... (2010). Accessed 26 June 2014.
    1. World Health Organization. The global health sector strategy on HIV/AIDS 2011–2015: an interim review of progress. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/112790/1/9789241507295_eng.pdf (2010). Accessed 26 July 2014.