'I Know that I Do Have HIV but Nobody Saw Me': Oral HIV Self-Testing in an Informal Settlement in South Africa.
PLoS One
; 11(4): e0152653, 2016.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27044006
ABSTRACT
Reaching universal HIV-status awareness is crucial to ensure all HIV-infected patients access antiretroviral treatment (ART) and achieve virological suppression. Opportunities for HIV testing could be enhanced by offering self-testing in populations that fear stigma and discrimination when accessing conventional HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) in health care facilities. This qualitative research aims to examine the feasibility and acceptability of unsupervised oral self-testing for home use in an informal settlement of South Africa. Eleven in-depth interviews, two couple interviews, and two focus group discussions were conducted with seven healthcare workers and thirteen community members. Thematic analysis was done concurrently with data collection. Acceptability to offer home self-testing was demonstrated in this research. Home self-testing might help this population overcome barriers to accepting HCT; this was particularly expressed in the male and youth groups. Nevertheless, pilot interventions must provide evidence of potential harm related to home self-testing, intensify efforts to offer quality counselling, and ensure linkage to HIV/ART-care following a positive self-test result.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Conscientização
/
Infecções por HIV
/
Autoexame
Tipo de estudo:
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
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Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
País como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2016
Tipo de documento:
Article