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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
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Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors
Published on: April 9, 2014
User acceptability and feasibility of self-testing with HIV rapid tests
Vernon J Lee1, Soon Choon Tan, Arul Earnest
1Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Communicable Disease Centre, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 802 Moulmein Road, Singapore. vernonljm@hotmail.com
Summary
User-performed HIV rapid self-testing in Singapore showed low feasibility, with many participants unable to correctly perform the test or interpret results. The study recommends deferring the Determine HIV 1/2 kit for self-testing in this population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Diagnostic Testing
Background:
- HIV rapid tests are increasingly considered for self-testing to improve accessibility.
- User acceptability and feasibility are critical factors for the successful implementation of HIV self-testing programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the user acceptability and feasibility of HIV rapid self-testing.
- To assess the accuracy and ease of use of the Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 blood sample rapid test for self-administration.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 350 participants in Singapore.
- Participants used the Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 test for self-testing and were compared with trained personnel testing.
- Surveys assessed knowledge, attitudes, and ease of use; test outcome interpretation accuracy was also evaluated.
Main Results:
- While 89% preferred private testing and found the kit easy to use, 85% failed to perform all steps correctly, leading to invalid results in 56%.
- Interrater agreement between self-testing and trained personnel had a low kappa value of 0.28.
- Twelve percent of participants could not correctly determine test outcomes from sample tests.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of users encountered difficulties in performing HIV rapid self-testing and interpreting results accurately.
- The Determine HIV 1/2 kit is not recommended for self-testing in Singapore at this time due to performance issues.
- Further research or modifications may be needed to improve the feasibility of HIV self-testing kits.
