title: Home-based HIV testing for men who have sex with men in China: a novel community-based partnership to complement government programs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The coverage of HIV testing among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) remains low after the scale-up of free HIV testing at government-sponsored testing sites. We evaluated the feasibility of home-based HIV self-testing and the willingness to be HIV tested at community-based organizations (CBO).
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited MSM via on-line advertisement, where they completed an on-line informed consent and subsequent questionnaire survey. Eligible MSM received HIV rapid testing kits by mail, performed the test themselves and reported the result remotely.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 220 men taking a home-based HIV self-testing, 33 MSM (15%) were seropositive. Nearly 65% of the men reported that they were willing to take HIV testing at CBO, while 28% preferred receiving free HIV testing in the government programs at local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Older and lower-income MSM, those who self-reported homosexual orientation, men with no history of sexually transmitted diseases and a lower number of sexual partners in the past six months were associated with preference for taking HIV testing at CBOs. The top three self-reported existing barriers for HIV testing were: no perception of HIV risk (56%), fear of an HIV positive result being reported to the government (41%), and fear of a positive HIV test result (36%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Home-based HIV self-testing is an alternative approach for increasing the coverage of HIV testing among Chinese MSM. CBO-based HIV testing is a potential alternative, but further studies are needed to evaluate its feasibility.
authors: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Tao
authors: Xicheng District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Ming-ying
authors: MY
authors: Li
authors: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors: Han-Zhu
authors: HZ
authors: Qian
authors: Chaoyang District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Li-Juan
authors: LJ
authors: Wang
authors: Chaoyang District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Zheng
authors: Z
authors: Zhang
authors: Chaoyang District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Hai-Feng
authors: HF
authors: Ding
authors: Heibei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China.
authors: Ya-Cheng
authors: YC
authors: Ji
authors: Xicheng District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Dong-liang
authors: DL
authors: Li
authors: Chaoyang Chinese AIDS Volunteer Group, Beijing, China.
authors: Dong
authors: D
authors: Xiao
authors: Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Hazlitt
authors: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors: Sten H
authors: SH
authors: Vermund
authors: AHF-China Program, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Beijing, China.
authors: Xiangfei
authors: X
authors: Xiu
authors: AHF-China Program, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Beijing, China; School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors: Yugang
authors: Y
authors: Bao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D006078:Government Programs / Q000379:methods*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult