A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction

Mary E Hawk,1– 3 Ashley Chung,4 Stephanie L Creasy,1– 3 James E Egan1– 3 1Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Center for LGBT Health Research, Graduate School of Public Health, Unive...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hawk ME, Chung A, Creasy SL, Egan JE
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-12-01
Series:Patient Preference and Adherence
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/a-scoping-review-of-patient-preferences-for-hiv-self-testing-services--peer-reviewed-article-PPA
_version_ 1818730543521464320
author Hawk ME
Chung A
Creasy SL
Egan JE
author_facet Hawk ME
Chung A
Creasy SL
Egan JE
author_sort Hawk ME
collection DOAJ
description Mary E Hawk,1– 3 Ashley Chung,4 Stephanie L Creasy,1– 3 James E Egan1– 3 1Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Center for LGBT Health Research, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 3Evaluation Institute, Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 4Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA, USACorrespondence: Mary E HawkBehavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USATel +1-412-648-2342Email mary.hawk@pitt.eduPurpose: Despite marked progress in the ability to test for, treat, and prevent HIV, the epidemic remains a significant public health concern, especially among key populations including prisoners; sex workers; transgender individuals; gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM); and Black and Latinx MSM. This scoping review was conducted to provide an overview of the current research describing patient preferences for HIVST in the United States to understand what key populations value about HIVST and why they are willing to use it. A targeted search for published literature on patient preferences for HIVST was conducted using Ovid Medline, PsychINFO, and an HIVST research database.Results: We reviewed 700 abstracts and 139 full texts. We found 19 articles published between January 2014 and April 2020 that included findings related to HIVST preferences. Overall, HIVST was preferred to more traditional testing. Six primary factors emerged as important HIVST values including: 1) convenience, 2) type of test; 3) cost, 4) stigma reduction, 5) risk reduction, and 6) self-control. Linkage to care was also identified as a key factor when considering HIVST as an option. Much of what makes HIVST attractive to individuals is their ability to self-determine how HIVST can be best integrated into their lives as a harm reduction tool for stigma and sexual risk mitigation.Conclusion: While there is substantial evidence suggesting HIVST is feasible for use and there are aspects of HIVST that are beneficial and preferred over traditional testing approaches, there is a lack of rigorous implementation studies exploring how best to scale up HIVST in community settings. HIVST has the potential to be a powerful biobehavioral HIV prevention and harm reduction tool to empower individuals to engage with testing on their own terms while providing pathways to prevention and care support.Keywords: HIV, self-testing, HIVST, harm reduction, United States, patient preferences
first_indexed 2024-12-17T23:03:27Z
format Article
id doaj.art-4c0f8b994ae648858f629a0d38ca775e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1177-889X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-17T23:03:27Z
publishDate 2020-12-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Patient Preference and Adherence
spelling doaj.art-4c0f8b994ae648858f629a0d38ca775e2022-12-21T21:29:21ZengDove Medical PressPatient Preference and Adherence1177-889X2020-12-01Volume 142365237559905A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm ReductionHawk MEChung ACreasy SLEgan JEMary E Hawk,1– 3 Ashley Chung,4 Stephanie L Creasy,1– 3 James E Egan1– 3 1Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Center for LGBT Health Research, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 3Evaluation Institute, Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 4Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA, USACorrespondence: Mary E HawkBehavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USATel +1-412-648-2342Email mary.hawk@pitt.eduPurpose: Despite marked progress in the ability to test for, treat, and prevent HIV, the epidemic remains a significant public health concern, especially among key populations including prisoners; sex workers; transgender individuals; gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM); and Black and Latinx MSM. This scoping review was conducted to provide an overview of the current research describing patient preferences for HIVST in the United States to understand what key populations value about HIVST and why they are willing to use it. A targeted search for published literature on patient preferences for HIVST was conducted using Ovid Medline, PsychINFO, and an HIVST research database.Results: We reviewed 700 abstracts and 139 full texts. We found 19 articles published between January 2014 and April 2020 that included findings related to HIVST preferences. Overall, HIVST was preferred to more traditional testing. Six primary factors emerged as important HIVST values including: 1) convenience, 2) type of test; 3) cost, 4) stigma reduction, 5) risk reduction, and 6) self-control. Linkage to care was also identified as a key factor when considering HIVST as an option. Much of what makes HIVST attractive to individuals is their ability to self-determine how HIVST can be best integrated into their lives as a harm reduction tool for stigma and sexual risk mitigation.Conclusion: While there is substantial evidence suggesting HIVST is feasible for use and there are aspects of HIVST that are beneficial and preferred over traditional testing approaches, there is a lack of rigorous implementation studies exploring how best to scale up HIVST in community settings. HIVST has the potential to be a powerful biobehavioral HIV prevention and harm reduction tool to empower individuals to engage with testing on their own terms while providing pathways to prevention and care support.Keywords: HIV, self-testing, HIVST, harm reduction, United States, patient preferenceshttps://www.dovepress.com/a-scoping-review-of-patient-preferences-for-hiv-self-testing-services--peer-reviewed-article-PPAhivself-testinghivstharm reductionunited statespatient preferences
spellingShingle Hawk ME
Chung A
Creasy SL
Egan JE
A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction
Patient Preference and Adherence
hiv
self-testing
hivst
harm reduction
united states
patient preferences
title A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction
title_full A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction
title_fullStr A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction
title_full_unstemmed A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction
title_short A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction
title_sort scoping review of patient preferences for hiv self testing services in the united states implications for harm reduction
topic hiv
self-testing
hivst
harm reduction
united states
patient preferences
url https://www.dovepress.com/a-scoping-review-of-patient-preferences-for-hiv-self-testing-services--peer-reviewed-article-PPA
work_keys_str_mv AT hawkme ascopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction
AT chunga ascopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction
AT creasysl ascopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction
AT eganje ascopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction
AT hawkme scopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction
AT chunga scopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction
AT creasysl scopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction
AT eganje scopingreviewofpatientpreferencesforhivselftestingservicesintheunitedstatesimplicationsforharmreduction