Effect of Availability of HIV Self-testing on HIV Testing Frequency Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Attending University in China (UniTest): Protocol of a Stepped-wedge Randomized Controlled Trial

Overview

Journal BMC Infect Dis

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2020 Feb 20

PMID 32070297

Citations 6

Authors

Song Fan

Zhongquan Liu

Zhenzhou Luo

Maohe Yu

Lin Ouyang

Hui Gong

Yi Ding

Peiyang Li

Tanwei Yuan

Yepeng Zhou

Guohui Wu

Huachun Zou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: HIV testing plays a central role in the combat against HIV. We aimed to determine if the availability of HIV self-testing (HIVST) would increase the frequency of testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) attending university in China.

Methods: A stepped wedge randomized controlled trial will be conducted in 4 provinces in China: Chongqing, Guangdong, Shandong, and Tianjin. Eligibility assessment will include (1) male, aged 16 years or older, (2) university student (technical diploma and undergraduate students), (3) MSM (sexual behaviors including mutual masturbation, oral sex, and anal sex), (4) HIV negative, and (5) willing to provide informed consent. Participants will be randomly allocated to HIV self-testing intervention with free HIVST kits in every 30 days according to the intervention waiting lists with a computer-generated randomized sequence. All participants will complete a self-administrated online questionnaire onsite at baseline and 12-month follow-up and complete an online questionnaire at 4- and 8-month. The primary outcome is the effect of HIVST on HIV testing frequency. Secondary outcomes include the change in sexual behaviors and HIV incidence.

Discussion: No previous study had measured the effect of social media based HIVST intervention on the change in HIV testing behaviors, sexual behaviors and incident HIV infection among MSM attending university in China. Findings from this study will provide evidence for further interventional practice promotions and prevention strategies scale-up, including HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and sexual partner serosorting.

Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1900020645. Registered 11 January 2019.

Citing Articles

The impact of HIV self-testing on risk behaviors among men who have sex with men: a mixed-methods study.

Su R, Liu Y, Li P, Ge L, Liao M, Fu Y Front Public Health. 2024; 12:1369931.

PMID: 38476479 PMC: 10927815. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1369931.

Estimating the Cost-Effectiveness of HIV Self-Testing in the United States Using Net Benefit Regression.

Islam M, Shrestha R, Hoch J, Farnham P J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2023; 95(2):138-143.

PMID: 37831617 PMC: 11305482. DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000003325.

Addressing Health Inequities in Digital Clinical Trials: A Review of Challenges and Solutions From the Field of HIV Research.

Wirtz A, Logie C, Mbuagbaw L Epidemiol Rev. 2022; 44(1):87-109.

PMID: 36124659 PMC: 10362940. DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxac008.

Law, human rights and gender in practice: an analysis of lessons from implementation of self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health.

Ferguson L, Narasimhan M, Gutierrez J, Jardell W, Gruskin S Sex Reprod Health Matters. 2022; 29(3):2105284.

PMID: 35975874 PMC: 9387312. DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2022.2105284.

Geosocial Networking Smartphone App Use and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Attending University in China: Cross-sectional Study.

Fan S, Li P, Hu Y, Gong H, Yu M, Ding Y JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2022; 8(3):e31033.

PMID: 35343911 PMC: 9002592. DOI: 10.2196/31033.

References

Yang Z, Huang Z, Dong Z, Zhang S, Han J, Jin M . Prevalence of high-risky behaviors in transmission of HIV among high school and college student MSM in China: a meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2015; 15:1272. PMC: 4687281. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-2614-4. View

Bavinton B, Brown G, Hurley M, Bradley J, Keen P, Conway D . Which gay men would increase their frequency of HIV testing with home self-testing?. AIDS Behav. 2013; 17(6):2084-92. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-013-0450-z. View

Han J, Mao Y, Tang H, Li J, Wu Z . [Initial follow-up and CD(4)(+) T cell count test of newly reported students HIV cases in China, 2013-2017]. Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2018; 52(12):1254-1258. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-9624.2018.12.012. View

Chow E, Wilson D, Zhang L . The rate of HIV testing is increasing among men who have sex with men in China. HIV Med. 2012; 13(5):255-63. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1293.2011.00974.x. View

Li Y, Xu J, Reilly K, Zhang J, Wei H, Jiang Y . Prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection among high school and college student MSM in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2013; 8(7):e69137. PMC: 3712943. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069137. View

Beyrer C, Baral S, Collins C, Richardson E, Sullivan P, Sanchez J . The global response to HIV in men who have sex with men. Lancet. 2016; 388(10040):198-206. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30781-4. View

Hussey M, Hughes J . Design and analysis of stepped wedge cluster randomized trials. Contemp Clin Trials. 2006; 28(2):182-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2006.05.007. View

Wu Z, Sun X, Sullivan S, Detels R . Public health. HIV testing in China. Science. 2006; 312(5779):1475-6. DOI: 10.1126/science.1120682. View

Chan A, Tetzlaff J, Gotzsche P, Altman D, Mann H, Berlin J . SPIRIT 2013 explanation and elaboration: guidance for protocols of clinical trials. BMJ. 2013; 346:e7586. PMC: 3541470. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.e7586. View

10.

Ayala G, Santos G . Will the global HIV response fail gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men?. J Int AIDS Soc. 2016; 19(1):21098. PMC: 5120409. DOI: 10.7448/IAS.19.1.21098. View

11.

Lyu P . [Key strategy of the China Action Plan for the Thirteen Five-Year Plan for Combating and Prevention of AIDS]. Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2017; 51(11):966-970. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-9624.2017.11.003. View

12.

Levy M, Wilton L, Phillips 2nd G, Glick S, Kuo I, Brewer R . Understanding structural barriers to accessing HIV testing and prevention services among black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in the United States. AIDS Behav. 2014; 18(5):972-96. PMC: 4509742. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-014-0719-x. View

13.

Zou H, Hu N, Xin Q, Beck J . HIV testing among men who have sex with men in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis. AIDS Behav. 2012; 16(7):1717-28. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-012-0225-y. View

14.

Wang L, Ding Z, Yan R, Li D, Guo W, Ding G . [HIV/AIDS epidemic situation and data analysis among young students from 2006-2009 in China]. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2010; 31(9):1017-21. View

15.

Ren X, Wu Z, Mi G, McGoogan J, Rou K, Zhao Y . Uptake of HIV Self-testing among Men Who have Sex with Men in Beijing, China: a Cross-sectional Study. Biomed Environ Sci. 2017; 30(6):407-417. DOI: 10.3967/bes2017.054. View

16.

Carballo-Dieguez A, Frasca T, Balan I, Ibitoye M, Dolezal C . Use of a rapid HIV home test prevents HIV exposure in a high risk sample of men who have sex with men. AIDS Behav. 2012; 16(7):1753-60. PMC: 3458207. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-012-0274-2. View

17.

Figueroa C, Johnson C, Verster A, Baggaley R . Attitudes and Acceptability on HIV Self-testing Among Key Populations: A Literature Review. AIDS Behav. 2015; 19(11):1949-65. PMC: 4598350. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1097-8. View

18.

Mdege N, Man M, Taylor nee Brown C, Torgerson D . Systematic review of stepped wedge cluster randomized trials shows that design is particularly used to evaluate interventions during routine implementation. J Clin Epidemiol. 2011; 64(9):936-48. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.12.003. View

19.

Hemming K, Haines T, Chilton P, Girling A, Lilford R . The stepped wedge cluster randomised trial: rationale, design, analysis, and reporting. BMJ. 2015; 350:h391. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.h391. View

20.

Liao X, Zhou X, Spiegelman D . A note on "Design and analysis of stepped wedge cluster randomized trials". Contemp Clin Trials. 2015; 45(Pt B):338-339. PMC: 4861952. DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2015.09.011. View