Tools- of Changes

HIV and STI Testing Preferences for Men Who Have Sex with Men in High-Income Countries

This open-access scoping review looks at, for men who have sex with men, what attributes of an HIV/STI testing service they prefer, and what attributes discourage them from getting tested. 

To market/promote HIV and STI testing among men who have sex with men (MSM), it is critical to know what attributes of an HIV/STI testing service they prefer, and what attributes discourage them from getting tested. This review narrowed down articles reviewed to 57 full texts that included this sort of information.

"The key themes of preferences for HIV/STI testing services were:

1. The appeal of self-testing due to convenience and privacy
2. The need to provide a variety of testing options; and
3. The influence of the testing experience, including confidentiality and privacy, tester characteristics and stigma."

"There were distinct patterns of preferences for subpopulations of MSM across studies, such as the preference of self-testing for young MSM, and of in-clinic testing for those who perceived themselves as high risk (i.e., with symptoms of STIs or exposed to a partner living with HIV.)".