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
. 2016 Sep;20(9):2000-9.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-016-1309-x.

Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills of High-Risk Young Adults to Use the HIV Self-Test

William Brown 3rd  1   2 , Alex Carballo-Diéguez  1   3 , Rita Marie John  4 , Rebecca Schnall  5
Affiliations

Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills of High-Risk Young Adults to Use the HIV Self-Test

William Brown 3rd et al. AIDS Behav. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

HIV self tests (HIVST) have the potential to increase testing among young adults. However, little is known about high-risk young adults' perception of the HIVST as a risk reduction tool and how they would use the HIVST in their everyday lives. Our study sought to examine these factors. Twenty-one ethnically diverse participants (ages 18-24) used the HIVST at our study site, completed surveys, and underwent an in-depth interview. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey responses, and interview data were coded using constructs from the information-motivation-behavioral skills model. Information deficits included: how to use the HIVST and the "window period" for sero-conversion. Motivations supporting HIVST use included: not needing to visit the clinic, fast results, easy access, and use in non-monogamous relationships. Behavioral skills discussed included: coping with a positive test, handling partner violence after a positive test, and accessing HIV services. These findings can inform the use of the HIVST for improving HIV testing rates and reducing HIV risk behavior.

Keywords: HIV self tests; High-risk; IMB model; Information–motivation–behavioral skills (IMB); Prevention; Youth.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
IMB Constructs Tied to Study Activities
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Centers for Disease C, Prevention. Vital signs: HIV infection, testing, and risk behaviors among youths - United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61(47):971–976. - PubMed
    1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [cited 2015 October 12];CDC - HIV Among Youth - Age - Risk - HIV/AIDS. 2012 Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/age/youth/index.html?s_cid=tw_std0141316.
    1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [cited 2015 Sept 11];HIV among African American Youth. 2014 Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/CDC-Youth-AAs-508.pdf.
    1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV among Latinos Fact Sheet. 2011
    1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [cited 2015 October 13];HIV Testing in the United States Atlanta, GA. 2015 Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/factsheets/hiv-testing-us-508.pdf.

MeSH terms

Substances