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Consumer preferences for a community-based rapid HIV point-of care testing service for men who have sex with men in Melbourne.

Consumer preferences for a community-based rapid HIV point-of care testing service for men who have sex with men in Melbourne.

Policy and regulatory support for HIV point-of-care testing (POCT) in Australia has recently emerged. International HIV POCT services for men who have sex with men (MSM) have adopted predominantly community-based and non-physician led models.

Methods: To inform the implementation of a community-based HIV POCT service targeting MSM in Melbourne, HIV negative gay and other MSM completed an online survey in April 2013. We describe service preferences and, after presenting a vignette describing a proposed community-based POCT service model, factors associated self-reported likelihood to seek HIV POCT through the service.

Results: Most participants (N=274) identified as gay (91%) and residing in metropolitan Melbourne (93%). Sexual risk and HIV testing behaviours were broadly similar to other behavioural surveys of gay men; 28% reported recent UAIC and 71% reported their last HIV test within past 12 months. Most participants reported HIV testing at a gay-friendly general practice (35%) or a sexual health clinic (32%). Nearly half the participants (47%) reported they would be ‘very likely’ to attend the service for HIV POCT (a further 36% reported they would be ‘likely’ to attend). Those reporting being ‘very likely’ to attend for a HIV POCT expressed a preference for after-hours weekday testing (OR=2.81; 95%CI=1.63-4.83), perceived their HIV testing frequency as inadequate (OR=2.42; 95%CI=1.33-4.42) and reported their last HIV test at a sexual health clinic compared to a gay-friendly general practice (OR=1.26; 95%CI=1.02-1.55). They also reported insufficient time (OR=2.12; 95%CI=1.11-4.07), difficulty finding convenient appointment times (OR=3.49; 95%CI=1.32-9.17) and returning for test results (OR=2.36; 95%CI=1.37-4.07) as barriers to current HIV testing.

Conclusion: While international experiences offer useful insights, HIV POCT service models in Australia must account for local community preferences. A community-based service model was overwhelmingly supported by participants and was particularly appealing to those reporting previously identified structural service barriers to conventional HIV testing.

Conference: ASHM 2013
Areas of Interest / Categories: AIDS 2013

AIDS 2013

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Regular HIV testing is recommended in men who take sexual risks. We assessed the relationship between perceived barriers to HIV testing, and frequency of testing among men who engaged in unprotected anal intercourse with casual partners (UAIC), to inform HIV testing strategies.

Behavioural trends among Australian gay men pose increasing challenges for HIV prevention: findings from the Gay Community Periodic Surveys, 2003-1

Gay men remain the primary population affected by HIV in Australia. While recent attention has been focused on increasing HIV testing and the use of antiretroviral-based prevention to reduce infections, it is equally important to sustain safe sex and other risk reduction practices. Increases in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), for example, may counteract any beneficial changes in testing and treatment. 

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