Systematic Reviews
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Methodol. Jun 20, 2023; 13(3): 142-152
Published online Jun 20, 2023. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v13.i3.142
Preferences for oral- vs blood-based human immunodeficiency virus self-testing: A scoping review of the literature
Victor Abiola Adepoju, Winifred Imoyera, Ali Johnson Onoja
Victor Abiola Adepoju, Winifred Imoyera, Department of HIV and Infectious Diseases, Jhpiego Nigeria, an affiliate of John Hopkins University, Abuja 900901, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
Ali Johnson Onoja, Research, African Health Project, Abuja 900901, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
Author contributions: Adepoju VA conceptualized the study, designed the review methodology, conducted the initial literature search, contributed to the data analysis, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript; Imoyera W was involved in the study design, literature search, and data analysis, and contributed to writing and revising the manuscript including reviewing and synthesizing the data; Onoja AJ was involved in the literature search, data analysis, and manuscript revisions.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Victor Abiola Adepoju, MD, self-testing in Africa Project Director, Department of HIV and Infectious Diseases, Jhpiego Nigeria, an affiliate of John Hopkins University, Plot 971, Rueben Okoya Street, Abuja 900901, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. schrodinga05@yahoo.com
Received: January 18, 2023
Peer-review started: January 18, 2023
First decision: April 20, 2023
Revised: April 22, 2023
Accepted: May 24, 2023
Article in press: May 24, 2023
Published online: June 20, 2023
Processing time: 153 Days and 1.8 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Human immunodeficiency virus self-testing (HIVST) has been shown to increase testing rates and improve early HIV diagnosis. However, there are different testing modalities, including oral- and blood-based HIVST, and little is known about the preferences for these different types of HIVST.

Research motivation

Identifying preferences for oral- vs blood-based HIVST is crucial for the development and implementation of effective HIVST programs. Understanding the factors that influence these preferences can also inform strategies for increasing uptake of HIVST.

Research objectives

The main objective of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on preferences for oral- vs blood-based HIVST. Specific objectives included identifying factors that influence preferences, exploring the implications of these preferences for the promotion and implementation of HIVST programs, and highlighting gaps in the literature.

Research methods

A scoping review methodology was used to identify and synthesize relevant literature on preferences for oral- vs blood-based HIVST. The review included studies published in English between 2011 and 2021 that focused on actual and not hypothetical users of HIVST.

Research results

The search yielded 2424 records, of which 8 studies were included in the review. Across all studies, pooled preference for oral HIVST was 59.8%, whereas for blood-based HIVST, it was 48.8%. However, in studies specific to men, the preference for blood-based HIVST (58%-65.6%) was higher than oral (34.2%-41%). Men favored blood-based HIVST because of its perceived accuracy and rapidity, whereas oral HIVST was preferred for being non-invasive and easy to use.

Research conclusions

Preferences for oral- vs blood-based HIVST are influenced by various factors, including user characteristics such as sex, testing context, and perceived test accuracy. Programs promoting HIVST should consider these factors when designing and implementing HIVST programs. Further research is needed to explore the impact of these preferences on HIV testing rates and to identify effective strategies for increasing the uptake of HIVST.

Research perspectives

Future research should focus on identifying effective strategies for increasing the uptake of HIVST, particularly among populations that may have unique preferences or barriers to testing. Longitudinal studies could also help to explore the impact of these preferences on HIV testing rates and linkage to care. Additionally, studies should continue to explore the accuracy and feasibility of new HIVST technologies.