Findings from the Tushirikiane mobile health (mHealth) HIV self-testing pragmatic trial with refugee adolescents and youth living in informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Urban refugee youth remain underserved by current HIV prevention strategies, including HIV self-testing (HIVST). Examining HIVST feasibility with refugees can inform tailored HIV testing strategies. We examined if HIVST and mobile health (mHealth) delivery approaches could increase HIV testing uptake and HIV status knowledge among refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a three-arm pragmatic controlled trial across five informal settlements grouped into three sites in Kampala from 2020 to 2021 with peer-recruited refugee youth aged 16-24 years. The intervention was HIVST and HIVST + mHealth (HIVST with bidirectional SMS), compared with standard of care (SOC). Primary outcomes were self-reported HIV testing uptake and correct status knowledge verif

SUBMITTER: Logie CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10583643 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature