Examining Chinese Users' Feedback Comments on HIV Self-testing Kits From e-Commerce Platforms: Thematic and Content...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Science
• Digital Health

Background:

• HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a preferred method in China due to convenience and confidentiality.
• Previous research on HIVST uptake in China has primarily focused on specific populations and utilized obtrusive data collection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the authentic experiences of Chinese HIVST kit users through an unobtrusive analysis of e-commerce feedback.
• To understand user motivations, emotions, and perceptions related to HIV self-testing.

Main Methods:

• Collected over 21,000 feedback comments from Chinese e-commerce platforms (Tmall, Pinduoduo).
• Conducted inductive thematic analysis on a sample of 367 comments to identify themes.
• Performed quantitative content analysis on 1857 comments using developed coding categories.

Main Results:

• Identified themes including pre- and post-test emotions, aspirations for a moral life, product feedback, and purchase motivations.
• Nearly 50% of comments concerned the product and HIV-negative test results.
• Over 25% of comments expressed gratitude for negative results, reflecting relief and a desire for a "clean life."

Conclusions:

• Chinese users utilize HIVST kits for HIV infection reduction and prevention.
• Findings indicate a persistent belief linking HIV infection to moral transgressions, alongside a lack of accurate knowledge regarding HIV transmission and self-testing.
• E-commerce platforms offer a valuable, unobtrusive channel for understanding user experiences with HIVST kits.