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'When I have these kits ... I have confidence' - HIV self-testing provides agency for women in their sexual decision-making
Ruderman, L. W., Ochwal, P., Marcus, N., Napierala, S., Thirumurthy, H., Agot, K., & Maman, S. (2022). 'When I have these kits ... I have confidence' - HIV self-testing provides agency for women in their sexual decision-making. Global Public Health, (12), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2022.2092176
Oral fluid-based HIV self-testing (HIVST) has emerged as a promising approach to increasing HIV testing coverage, particularly among high-risk populations. Understanding the experiences of women using self-tests and offering them to their sexual partners (secondary distribution) is crucial for determining the potential of HIVST. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted among 32 women at high risk of HIV infection, including women who engage in transactional sex, who participated in a cluster randomised trial of a secondary distribution strategy in western Kenya. Interviews explored how women used self-tests within relationships and how this affected their sexual decision-making. Three key themes emerged: women used HIVST to assess risk prior to engaging in sex with partners; HIVST provided women with increased agency to engage in or end relationships; and women appreciated these benefits and urged expanded access to self-tests. HIVST has the potential to support HIV prevention objectives in settings with high prevalence of HIV.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03135067.
