Adolescents' and caregivers' perceptions of caregiver-provided testing and HIV self-testing using oral mucosal transudate tests in Zimbabwe: a short report.
Abstract
Uptake of HIV testing remains lower among children and adolescents compared to adults.
This study explored adolescents' perceptions of HIV self-testing (HIVST) and caregivers'
perceptions of testing their children using an oral mucosal transudate (OMT) rapid
HIV test (caregiver-provided testing). We conducted 31 interviews with adolescents
aged 16-18 years and caregivers of children aged 2-15 years who received an OMT test.
Participants described barriers to HIV testing including lack of privacy and the potential
for discrimination by community members towards children and adolescents who received
an HIV test. Most participants felt caregiver-provided testing and HIVST could address
these barriers through increased privacy. Some participants expressed worry about
their ability to correctly perform the OMT and their anxious reactions to a positive
result. Counseling and assistance from health care workers were viewed as ways to
alleviate concerns. Concerns shaped participants' preferences for facility-based HIVST
and caregiver-provided testing. Findings demonstrate HIVST performed by adolescents
and caregiver-provided testing could increase the uptake of HIV testing. Concerns
related to being able to test correctly and the availability of post-test counseling
must be addressed in any future delivery mechanisms.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22012Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1080/09540121.2020.1749226Publication Info
Rainer, Crissi; Chihota, Belinda; Dziva Chikwari, Chido; McHugh, Grace; Dauya, Ethel;
Mujuru, Hilda; ... Stewart, Kearsley A (2020). Adolescents' and caregivers' perceptions of caregiver-provided testing and HIV self-testing
using oral mucosal transudate tests in Zimbabwe: a short report. AIDS care, 33(1). pp. 1-5. 10.1080/09540121.2020.1749226. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22012.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Kearsley A Stewart
Professor of the Practice of Global Health

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