HIV self-testing (HIVST) can use either oral-fluid or blood-based tests. Studies have shown strong preferences for self-testing compared to facility-based services. Despite availability of low-cost blood-based HIVST options, to date, HIVST implementation in sub-Saharan Africa has largely been oral-fluid-based. We investigated whether users preferred blood-based (i.e. using blood sample derived from a finger prick) or oral fluid-based HIVST in rural and urban Malawi.
This paper is part of a series of articles from BMC Infectious Diseases Volume 22 Supplement 1: Innovating with HIV self-testing for impact in Southern Africa: Lessons learned from the STAR (Self-Testing AfRica) Initiative. This supplement is a collaborative effort between Population Services International (PSI), the World Health Organization, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and other members of the STAR Consortium. It presents significant achievements and insights gained from the introduction, scale-up, and optimization of self-testing.