HIV self-testing in Pune, India: perspectives and recommendations of female sex workers and peer educators

Yanni M Chang; Tejaswi Sevekari; Ann Duerr; Yamilé Molina; Trupti Gilada

doi:10.1080/09540121.2019.1683804

HIV self-testing in Pune, India: perspectives and recommendations of female sex workers and peer educators

AIDS Care. 2020 Feb;32(2):182-185. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1683804. Epub 2019 Oct 31.

Authors

Yanni M Chang¹, Tejaswi Sevekari², Ann Duerr^{1

3}, Yamilé Molina⁴, Trupti Gilada³

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
² Saheli Sangh, Pune, India.
³ Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁴ Community Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

PMID: 31672026
DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1683804

Abstract

Female sex workers (FSW) represent a focal point of the HIV epidemic in India. HIV self-testing (HIVST) could mitigate under-diagnosis of HIV and reduce disease transmission in this population. This study assessed the acceptability of HIVST through focus group discussions (FGD) with FSW. FSW expressed willingness to use HIVST and preference for saliva-based HIVST over blood-based HIVST and preferred that HIVST education, administration, and storage take place in trusted community centers and not in brothels. We provide preliminary recommendations for the implementation of an acceptable and feasible HIVST program for FSW in India.

Keywords: Female sex worker; HIV self-testing; India; focus group.

MeSH terms

Adult
Confidentiality
Epidemics
Female
Focus Groups
HIV Infections / diagnosis*
HIV Infections / psychology
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
India
Mass Screening / methods*
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
Peer Group*
Qualitative Research
Serologic Tests / statistics & numerical data
Sex Workers / education*
Sex Workers / statistics & numerical data