The longer-term effects of access to HIV self-tests on HIV testing frequency in high-risk gay and bisexual men: follow-up data from a randomised controlled trial

The longer-term effects of access to HIV self-tests on HIV testing frequency in high-risk gay and bisexual men: follow-up data from a randomised controlled trial

A wait-list randomised controlled trial in Australia (FORTH) in high-risk gay and bisexual men (GBM) showed access to free HIV self-tests (HIVSTs) doubled the frequency of HIV testing in year 1 to reach guideline recommended levels of 4 tests per year, compared to two tests per year in the standard-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific 2021-09, Vol.14, p.100214-100214, Article 100214
Main Authors: Zhang, Ye, Jamil, Muhammad S, Smith, Kirsty S, Applegate, Tanya L, Prestage, Garrett, Holt, Martin, Keen, Phillip, Bavinton, Benjamin R, Chen, Marcus, Conway, Damian P, Wand, Handan, McNulty, Anna M, Russell, Darren, Vaughan, Matthew, Batrouney, Colin, Wiseman, Virginia, Fairley, Christopher K, Grulich, Andrew E, Law, Matthew, Kaldor, John M, Guy, Rebecca J
Format: Article
Language:eng
Subjects:
Gay and bisexual men
HIV
HIV self-testing
Randomised controlled trial
Research Paper
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Summary:A wait-list randomised controlled trial in Australia (FORTH) in high-risk gay and bisexual men (GBM) showed access to free HIV self-tests (HIVSTs) doubled the frequency of HIV testing in year 1 to reach guideline recommended levels of 4 tests per year, compared to two tests per year in the standard-care arm (facility-based testing). In year 2, men in both arms had access to HIVSTs. We assessed if the effect was maintained for a further 12 months. Participants included GBM reporting condomless anal intercourse or > 5 male partners in the past 3 months. We included men who had completed at least one survey in both year 1 and 2 and calculated the mean tests per person, based on the validated self-report and clinic records. We used Poisson regression and random effects Poisson regression models to compare the overall testing frequency by study arm, year and testing modality (HIVST/facility-based test). Overall, 362 men completed at least one survey in year 1 and 343 in year 2. Among men in the intervention arm (access to HIVSTs in both years), the mean number of HIV tests in year 2 (3⋅7 overall, 2⋅3 facility-based tests, 1⋅4 HIVSTs) was lower compared to year 1 (4⋅1 overall, 1⋅7 facility-based tests, 2⋅4 HIVSTs) (RR:0⋅84, 95% CI:0⋅75-0⋅95, p=0⋅002), but higher than the standard-care arm in year 1 (2⋅0 overall, RR:1⋅71, 95% CI:1⋅48-1.97, p
ISSN:2666-6065
2666-6065