People at risk of acquiring HIV are open to self-testing, UP study shows

Medical researchers have found that Filipinos at risk of contracting HIV are open to the idea of "self-testing," noting the convenience and privacy they would get from doing the test themselves.

A recent study published in the open access scientific journal BMC Public Health found that HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a viable and acceptable approach in raising HIV testing rates among Filipinos at risk of acquiring the virus.

The study, which was conducted by the National Institutes of Health-University of the Philippines Manila epidemiologist Dr. Emmanuel Baja and his research team, showed that 42 men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) were open to HIVST.

"MSM and TGW welcomed the convenience and privacy HIVST could provide. They preferred an inexpensive accurate blood-based kit attained from reputable sites," the study said.

The respondents added that they liked the convenience and confidentiality of HIVST in a stigmatized context.

The study also took note of the thoughts and opinions of key informants who worked as program implementers, non-government organizations, doctors, academics, service providers, and members of HIV reference laboratories.

According to the study, the key informants welcomed HIVST as an additional testing approach at the national level.

But they identified a number of policy and regulatory issues, such as the lack of a national policy that supported HIVST in the country, among others.

The study can be used as an important evidence to implement regulations on the use of HIVST kits. Currently, the Internet sees the unregulated selling of HIVST kits, it added.

Baja and his research team's project was done in cooperation with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medical in the United Kingdom. 

It was also part of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development – Department of Science and Technology's supported project, "HIV Gaming, Engaging and Testing."

In May 2019, the Philippines has been experiencing a continuous rise in the number of HIV and AIDS cases, based on records from the Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau. — MDM, GMA News