Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Background HIV self-testing was proved as an effective tool for increasing testing frequency in gay and bisexual men at high risk of infection. Questions remain about understanding why HIVST encouraged testing and how such success can be translated to programmatic implementation. Methods We...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12011-0 |
| _version_ | 1819006597659099136 |
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| author | Ye Zhang Rebecca J. Guy Kirsty S. Smith Muhammad S. Jamil Garrett Prestage Tanya L. Applegate Damian P. Conway Martin Holt Phillip Keen Benjamin Bavinton Anna M. McNulty Colin Batrouney Darren Russell Matthew Vaughan Marcus Chen Christopher K. Fairley Andrew E. Grulich John M. Kaldor Denton Callander |
| author_facet | Ye Zhang Rebecca J. Guy Kirsty S. Smith Muhammad S. Jamil Garrett Prestage Tanya L. Applegate Damian P. Conway Martin Holt Phillip Keen Benjamin Bavinton Anna M. McNulty Colin Batrouney Darren Russell Matthew Vaughan Marcus Chen Christopher K. Fairley Andrew E. Grulich John M. Kaldor Denton Callander |
| author_sort | Ye Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background HIV self-testing was proved as an effective tool for increasing testing frequency in gay and bisexual men at high risk of infection. Questions remain about understanding why HIVST encouraged testing and how such success can be translated to programmatic implementation. Methods We conducted a qualitative investigation of how FORTH participants experienced and perceived HIVST. Stratified sampling was used to recruit gay and bisexual men participating in the FORTH HIVST intervention to take part in interviews, focusing on infrequent testers and those who had received inaccurate HIVST results. Results Our analysis identified several prominent themes organized into two overarching domains from the 15 interviews: (i) aspects of HIVST contributing to HIV testing frequency, and (ii) sustaining HIVST into the future. Participants also believed that their use of HIVST in the future would depend on the test kit’s reliability, particularly when compared with highly reliable clinic-based testing. Conclusion HIVST increases the frequency of HIV testing among gay and bisexual men due, in part, to the practical, psychological, and social benefits it offers. To capitalize fully on these benefits, however, strategies to ensure the availability of highly reliable HIVST are required to sustain benefits beyond the confines of a structured research study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:11:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d29f327490f1484892e81c6916ee4481 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T00:11:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-d29f327490f1484892e81c6916ee44812022-12-21T19:22:20ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582021-11-012111910.1186/s12889-021-12011-0Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trialYe Zhang0Rebecca J. Guy1Kirsty S. Smith2Muhammad S. Jamil3Garrett Prestage4Tanya L. Applegate5Damian P. Conway6Martin Holt7Phillip Keen8Benjamin Bavinton9Anna M. McNulty10Colin Batrouney11Darren Russell12Matthew Vaughan13Marcus Chen14Christopher K. Fairley15Andrew E. Grulich16John M. Kaldor17Denton Callander18Kirby Institute, UNSW SydneyKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyGlobal HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programme, World Health OrganizationKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyCentre for Social Research in Health, UNSWKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyKirby Institute, UNSW SydneySydney Sexual Health Centre, South Eastern Sydney Local Health DistrictThorne Harbour HealthCairns Sexual Health ServiceACONCentral Clinical School, Monash UniversityCentral Clinical School, Monash UniversityKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyKirby Institute, UNSW SydneyAbstract Background HIV self-testing was proved as an effective tool for increasing testing frequency in gay and bisexual men at high risk of infection. Questions remain about understanding why HIVST encouraged testing and how such success can be translated to programmatic implementation. Methods We conducted a qualitative investigation of how FORTH participants experienced and perceived HIVST. Stratified sampling was used to recruit gay and bisexual men participating in the FORTH HIVST intervention to take part in interviews, focusing on infrequent testers and those who had received inaccurate HIVST results. Results Our analysis identified several prominent themes organized into two overarching domains from the 15 interviews: (i) aspects of HIVST contributing to HIV testing frequency, and (ii) sustaining HIVST into the future. Participants also believed that their use of HIVST in the future would depend on the test kit’s reliability, particularly when compared with highly reliable clinic-based testing. Conclusion HIVST increases the frequency of HIV testing among gay and bisexual men due, in part, to the practical, psychological, and social benefits it offers. To capitalize fully on these benefits, however, strategies to ensure the availability of highly reliable HIVST are required to sustain benefits beyond the confines of a structured research study.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12011-0HIV self-testingHome HIV testingQualitative studyGay and bisexual menSustainabilityAustralia |
| spellingShingle | Ye Zhang Rebecca J. Guy Kirsty S. Smith Muhammad S. Jamil Garrett Prestage Tanya L. Applegate Damian P. Conway Martin Holt Phillip Keen Benjamin Bavinton Anna M. McNulty Colin Batrouney Darren Russell Matthew Vaughan Marcus Chen Christopher K. Fairley Andrew E. Grulich John M. Kaldor Denton Callander Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trial BMC Public Health HIV self-testing Home HIV testing Qualitative study Gay and bisexual men Sustainability Australia |
| title | Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | Sustaining success: a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men’s experiences and perceptions of HIV self-testing in a randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | sustaining success a qualitative study of gay and bisexual men s experiences and perceptions of hiv self testing in a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | HIV self-testing Home HIV testing Qualitative study Gay and bisexual men Sustainability Australia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12011-0 |
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