Approval and Potential Use of Over-the-Counter HIV Self-Tests: The Opinion of Participants in a Street Based HIV Rapid Testing Program in Spain

• Published in: AIDS and behavior 2015-03, Vol.19 (3), p.472-484
• Main Authors: Rosales-Statkus, M. Elena, de la Fuente, Luis, Fernández-Balbuena, Sonia, Figueroa, Carmen, Fernàndez-López, Laura, Hoyos, Juan, Ruiz, Mónica, Belza, M. José
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; AIDS; AIDS Serodiagnosis - methods; AIDS Serodiagnosis - utilization; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Priorities; Health Psychology; HIV; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Home medical tests; Homosexuality; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Lead time; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Original Paper; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Program Evaluation; Public Health; Public Opinion; Self; Self Care - statistics & numerical data; Self testing; Self tests; Sex; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social Stigma; Spain - epidemiology; STD; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tests
• ISSN: 1090-7165; 1573-3254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-014-0975-9

HIV self-testing, not yet available in Spain, is a strategy thought to be able to increase the number of people tested and testing frequency. 3,373 attenders of a street-based HIV rapid-testing program gave their opinion on authorizing over-the-counter self-tests and a potentially shorter lead time if self-tests were available. 88.0 % of participants were in favor of authorization, 9.2 % had no clear opinion and 2.8 % were against. 54.6 % of men who have sex with men (MSM), 38.4 % of men who have sex with women and 36.3 % of women acknowledged a potential for lead time reduction. Potential lead time was associated with being ≥35 years, having a university degree, never injected drugs, previous HIV tests and being concerned about an HIV positive result, and in MSM, also having ≥5 partners. Self-testing seems a promising strategy for Spain: its authorization is supported by nearly all potential users and almost three quarters of MSM would have opted to advance their current testing if self-tests were available.