Community based distribution of oral HIV self-testing kits in Zambia: a cluster-randomised trial nested in four HPTN 071 (PopART) intervention communities

Publication date: Available online 21 December 2018Source: The Lancet HIVAuthor(s): Chama Mulubwa, Bernadette Hensen, Mwelwa M Phiri, Kwame Shanaube, Albertus J Schaap, Sian Floyd, Comfort R Phiri, Chiti Bwalya, Virginia Bond, Musonda Simwinga, Lawrence Mwenge, Sarah Fidler, Richard Hayes, Alwyn Mwinga, Helen Ayles, HPTN 071 (PopART) Study TeamSummaryBackgroundThe HPTN 071 (PopART) cluster-randomised trial provided door-to-door HIV testing services to a large proportion of individuals residing in 21 intervention communities in Zambia and South Africa from 2014 to 2017 and reached the UNAIDS first 90 target among women in Zambia, yet gaps remained among men and young adults. This cluster-randomised study nested in the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial sought to increase knowledge of HIV status across all groups by offering the choice of oral HIV self-testing in addition to routine door-to-door HIV testing services.MethodsWe nested this cluster-randomised trial in four HTPN 071 (PopART) intervention communities in northern Zambia. 66 zones (clusters) in these communities were randomly allocated (1:1) to either oral HIV self-testing plus routine door-to-door HIV testing services (HIV self-testing group) or the PopART standard of care of door-to-door HIV testing services alone (non- HIV self-testing group) over a 3-month period. All individuals aged 16 years or older were eligible for HIV testing. Randomisation was achieved by randomly selecting one allocation from a list of 10 000 possi...
Source: The Lancet HIV - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research