A study of the outcomes of a model development for HIV self-test kit accessibility

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of developing an access model for HIV self-test kits at Lerdsin Hospital between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2024. This information was crucial for service planning and strategic activity planning. The goal was to promote access for targeted groups, who were hesitant to seek testing services at the hospital and did not disclose their HIV status, and to enable them to undertake HIV testing and to know their HIV status. Data collection involved creating a data collection table to record information from individuals interested in receiving HIV test kits through outreach campaigns and peer referrals. Data were retrieved from dashboard reports at www.prepthai.net/sns/home; then analyzed with descriptive statistics, including frequency distribution, counting, and percentages. The study found that a total of 116 individuals requested HIV self-test kits. The majority were male (73.25%) and belonged to the general population (59.90%), who were accessing registration through outreach campaigns (70.69%) and peer referrals (29.31%). Notably, a portion of these individuals were not acquainted with their peer referrers (39.53%). HIV self-test kits were primarily distributed via home delivery (55.17%), and a significant proportion of recipients had never been tested for HIV (56.90%). The operational recommendations suggested a development of a referral system for confirmatory diagnostic testing and follow-up on referrals. Furthermore, the study's model should be adapted for future work to reach targeted groups who were hard to reach and reluctant to disclose their HIV status.