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. 2021 Jan 15;18(2):729.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18020729.

Effectiveness of a Novel HIV Self-Testing Service with Online Real-Time Counseling Support (HIVST-Online) in Increasing HIV Testing Rate and Repeated HIV Testing among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Hong Kong: Results of a Pilot Implementation Project

Paul Shing-Fong Chan  1 , Andrew Chidgey  2 , Jason Lau  2 , Mary Ip  1 , Joseph T F Lau  1 , Zixin Wang  1
Affiliations

Effectiveness of a Novel HIV Self-Testing Service with Online Real-Time Counseling Support (HIVST-Online) in Increasing HIV Testing Rate and Repeated HIV Testing among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Hong Kong: Results of a Pilot Implementation Project

Paul Shing-Fong Chan et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

HIV self-testing (HIVST) with online real-time counseling (HIVST-online) is an evidence-based intervention to increase HIV testing coverage and to ensure linkage to care for men who have sex with men (MSM). A community-based organization (CBO) recruited 122 MSM who had ever used HIVST-online (ever-users) and another 228 new-users from multiple sources and promoted HIVST-online. A free oral fluid-based HIVST kit was sent to all the participants by mail. Experienced HIVST administrators implemented HIVST-online by providing real-time instruction, standard-of-care pre-test and post-test counseling via live-chat application. The number of HIVST-online sessions performed was documented by the administrators. The post-test evaluation was conducted 6 months after the pre-test survey. At month 6, 63.1% of ever-users and 40.4% of new-users received HIVST-online. Taking other types of HIV testing into account, 79.4% of ever-users and 58.6% of new-users being followed up at month 6 received any HIV testing during the project period. Ever-users were more likely to receive HIVST-online and any HIV testing as compared to new-users. Four HIVST-online users were screened to be HIV positive and linked to the treatment. The process evaluation of HIVST-online was positive. Implementation of HIVST-online was helpful to improve HIV testing coverage and repeated HIV testing among Chinese MSM. A larger scale implementation should be considered.

Keywords: HIV self-testing; men who have sex with men; online real-time counseling; outcome and process evaluation; pilot implementation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the recruitment and uptake of human immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST)-online among new-users.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flow diagram of the recruitment and uptake of HIVST-online among ever-users.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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