Outreach HIV testing using oral fluid and online consultation of the results: Pilot intervention in Catalonia

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the intervention was to describe the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of offering HIV testing in outreach interventions and subsequent consultation of the results through a secure web page.

Methods: The HIV test was offered "in situ" to men who have sex with men (MSM), migrant sex workers and trans women recruited in places of leisure and sex. Four collaborating NGOs recruited the participants and assisted them to register on the study website (www.swab2know.eu) through a tablet or the smartphone of the same participant. The samples were sent to the reference laboratory and the results were published on the website.

Results: 834 participants (612 MSMs, 203 women sex workers and 19 trans women) were recruited. In total 22 reagent results (2.6%) were detected: 21 among MSMs (3.4%) and 1 in a trans women (5.3%). While 82.6% of MSMs consulted their outcome, only 39.9% and 26.3% of women sex workers and trans women respectively consulted their outcome CONCLUSIONS: Providing self-sampling in outreach activities, dispatch and analysis in a reference laboratory as well as online communication of test results is feasible. A high proportion of participants with a HIV reactive result were detected among MSMs and trans women.

Keywords: Acercamiento (outreach); Hombres que tienen sexo con hombres; Human immunodeficiency virus; Internet; Men who have sex with men; Mujeres trans; Outreach; Self-sampling; Sex workers; Trabajadores/as sexuales; Trans women; Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana.