Gay men’s attitudes and perceptions regarding rapid HIV home testing

Key take-home messages

• Rapid HIV home testing could be an effective risk reduction and HIV prevention tool.
• A majority of gay men are interested in accessing home testing.
• Gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) cite reasons of convenience, accessibility, rapidity of results, and increased privacy, discretion, confidentiality and anonymity to underscore their interest in accessing rapid HIV home testing.
• Main concerns raised about the availability of rapid HIV home testing are: lack of professional support immediately at hand in the event of a positive test result, perceived uncertainty about its accuracy, incongruence with a sexual situation, and associated costs.
• Factors associated with potential use of rapid HIV home testing include: high-risk sexual behaviour(s) and frequent need of testing, desire not to see a doctor for HIV testing, residence in small towns and rural areas and the desire of confidentiality, and being black.

• Population(s)
  • Men who have sex with men
• Testing
  • Testing