RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, USA.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
Afr J AIDS Res. 2021 Dec;20(4):297-306. doi: 10.2989/16085906.2021.2000450.
In Botswana, HIV prevalence is 20.3% among those between 15 and 49 years old, and in sub-Saharan Africa, higher income has been associated with increased HIV risk. We qualitatively explored barriers to HIV testing and acceptability of HIV self-testing (HIVST) among higher socio-economic status (SES) men in Botswana. Twenty higher SES men (10 tested, 10 not tested recently) participated in semi-structured interviews and 10 men participated in asynchronous online focus groups (FGs) about HIV testing barriers and HIVST acceptability. Results indicated that stigma, inconvenience and perceived lack of confidentiality were barriers to HIV testing, as were masculinity-related concerns (e.g. fear of losing status if they accessed testing or were found to be HIV positive). Men said that HIVST reduced barriers to testing and that test kits could be placed in public spaces for pick-up and used in private. Overall, HIVST was seen as acceptable and feasible among higher SES men in Botswana.
在博茨瓦纳,15 岁至 49 岁人群中艾滋病毒感染率为 20.3%,在撒哈拉以南非洲,较高的收入与艾滋病毒感染风险增加有关。我们定性地探讨了博茨瓦纳社会经济地位较高(SES)男性中艾滋病毒检测的障碍和艾滋病毒自我检测(HIVST)的可接受性。20 名 SES 较高的男性(10 名接受测试,10 名最近未接受测试)参加了半结构化访谈,10 名男性参加了异步在线焦点小组(FG),讨论了艾滋病毒检测障碍和 HIVST 可接受性。结果表明,污名、不便和缺乏保密性被认为是艾滋病毒检测的障碍,与男子气概相关的问题也是如此(例如,如果他们接受检测或被发现艾滋病毒呈阳性,担心失去地位)。男性表示,HIVST 降低了检测的障碍,检测试剂盒可以放在公共场所供人领取,并在私人场所使用。总的来说,HIVST 在博茨瓦纳 SES 较高的男性中被认为是可以接受和可行的。