HIV self-testing in Ottawa, Canada used by persons at risk for HIV: The GetaKit study

The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that about 87% of persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Canada have been diagnosed, which is well below the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS target to have 95% of HIV-positive persons diagnosed. Research has shown that HIV self-testing may help increase such diagnoses, especially among the populations who are most affected by HIV. The objective of the study was to determine the uptake and diagnosis outcomes associated with free HIV self-testing.

We developed the first online mailout free HIV self-testing program in Canada and implemented it in Ottawa. This project ran through the website, www.GetaKit.ca. We intended to recruit 150-400 participants over a 6-12-month period, estimating that this number would yield between 0-1 positive test results (expected positivity rate of 0.08%).

Between July 20, 2020 and April 1, 2021, 1,268 people accessed the GetaKit website and verified their eligibility. In total, 600 persons were eligible and 405 ordered an HIV kit. Of those who ordered a kit, 399 completed a baseline survey. Overall, 71% of these participants were members of HIV priority groups. For test results, 228 persons reported test results, with one being positive, for a positivity rate of 0.24% overall and 0.44% of reported results. These rates exceed that normally observed in Ottawa.

Self-testing of HIV can be effectively delivered through a website. Such an intervention will also be used by persons with undiagnosed infections and appears to do so at a rate higher than that observed by other means of testing. Self-testing of HIV may therefore help Canada achieve the United Nations 95-95-95 targets.