HIV self-testing lived experiences of female sex workers in the Garden City, Eastern Nigeria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

HIV self-testing (HIVST) provides a private and convenient alternative to traditional testing, addressing barriers such as stigma, fear of discrimination, and accessibility challenges. Female sex workers (FSWs) face a disproportionate burden of HIV and limited access to facility-based testing, making HIVST a critical tool for advancing Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 2030 targets.

Objectives

To explore the lived experiences of FSWs with HIVST and identify strategies to enhance its uptake and accessibility in Nigeria.

Design

This was a qualitative study utilizing a phenomenological approach to explore the shared lived experiences of participants.

Methods

This qualitative study utilized in-depth interviews with 15 brothel-based FSWs

SUBMITTER: Anyiam FE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12605878 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature