A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya.
Promoting awareness of serostatus and frequent HIV testing is especially important among high risk populations such as female sex workers (FSW) and their sexual partners. HIV self-testing is an approach that is gaining ground in sub-Saharan Africa as a strategy to increase knowledge of HIV status an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2017-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5367822?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818153164222758912 |
|---|---|
| author | Suzanne Maman Katherine R Murray Sue Napierala Mavedzenge Lennah Oluoch Florence Sijenje Kawango Agot Harsha Thirumurthy |
| author_facet | Suzanne Maman Katherine R Murray Sue Napierala Mavedzenge Lennah Oluoch Florence Sijenje Kawango Agot Harsha Thirumurthy |
| author_sort | Suzanne Maman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Promoting awareness of serostatus and frequent HIV testing is especially important among high risk populations such as female sex workers (FSW) and their sexual partners. HIV self-testing is an approach that is gaining ground in sub-Saharan Africa as a strategy to increase knowledge of HIV status and promote safer sexual decisions. However, little is known about self-test distribution strategies that are optimal for increasing testing access among hard-to-reach and high risk individuals. We conducted a qualitative study with 18 FSW who participated in a larger study that provided them with five oral fluid-based self-tests, training on how to use the tests, and encouragement to offer the self-tests to their sexual partners using their discretion. Women demonstrated agency in the strategies they used to introduce self-tests to their partners and to avoid conflict with partners. They carefully considered with whom to share self-tests, often assessing the possibility for negative reactions from partners as part of their decision making process. When women faced negative reactions from partners, they drew on strategies they had used before to avoid conflict and physical harm from partners, such as not responding to angry partners and forgoing payment to leave angry partners quickly. Some women also used self-tests to make more informed sexual decisions with their partners. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:06:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-122f641bf1a04d92be47941686999ace |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:06:15Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-122f641bf1a04d92be47941686999ace2022-12-22T01:03:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01123e017462910.1371/journal.pone.0174629A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya.Suzanne MamanKatherine R MurraySue Napierala MavedzengeLennah OluochFlorence SijenjeKawango AgotHarsha ThirumurthyPromoting awareness of serostatus and frequent HIV testing is especially important among high risk populations such as female sex workers (FSW) and their sexual partners. HIV self-testing is an approach that is gaining ground in sub-Saharan Africa as a strategy to increase knowledge of HIV status and promote safer sexual decisions. However, little is known about self-test distribution strategies that are optimal for increasing testing access among hard-to-reach and high risk individuals. We conducted a qualitative study with 18 FSW who participated in a larger study that provided them with five oral fluid-based self-tests, training on how to use the tests, and encouragement to offer the self-tests to their sexual partners using their discretion. Women demonstrated agency in the strategies they used to introduce self-tests to their partners and to avoid conflict with partners. They carefully considered with whom to share self-tests, often assessing the possibility for negative reactions from partners as part of their decision making process. When women faced negative reactions from partners, they drew on strategies they had used before to avoid conflict and physical harm from partners, such as not responding to angry partners and forgoing payment to leave angry partners quickly. Some women also used self-tests to make more informed sexual decisions with their partners.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5367822?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Suzanne Maman Katherine R Murray Sue Napierala Mavedzenge Lennah Oluoch Florence Sijenje Kawango Agot Harsha Thirumurthy A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya. PLoS ONE |
| title | A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya. |
| title_full | A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya. |
| title_fullStr | A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya. |
| title_full_unstemmed | A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya. |
| title_short | A qualitative study of secondary distribution of HIV self-test kits by female sex workers in Kenya. |
| title_sort | qualitative study of secondary distribution of hiv self test kits by female sex workers in kenya |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5367822?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT suzannemaman aqualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT katherinermurray aqualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT suenapieralamavedzenge aqualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT lennaholuoch aqualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT florencesijenje aqualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT kawangoagot aqualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT harshathirumurthy aqualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT suzannemaman qualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT katherinermurray qualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT suenapieralamavedzenge qualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT lennaholuoch qualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT florencesijenje qualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT kawangoagot qualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya AT harshathirumurthy qualitativestudyofsecondarydistributionofhivselftestkitsbyfemalesexworkersinkenya |