Cost-Effectiveness of the I'm Ready HIV Self-Testing Programme Among High-Risk Populations in Canada

While HIV self-testing (HIVST) presents a promising solution for early HIV detection, access to such testing remains limited in Canada. Achieving the United Nations 95% target for HIV status awareness requires scalable and cost-effective implementation approaches. The I'm Ready programme is a national, mail-based HIVST initiative targeting key high-risk populations supplemented by peer navigation supports to enhance engagement. This study aimed to explore the cost-effectiveness of the I'm Ready programme from the perspective of Canada's publicly funded healthcare system.

We developed a Markov model to predict the lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for high-risk individuals receiving HIVST through the I'm Ready programme compared to point-of-care testing in a physician's office (standard care). Probability and health utility values were obtained from published literature, while costs were obtained from the pilot I'm Ready programme or secondary Canadian data sources. Costs and outcomes were discounted 1.5% annually, with costs reported in 2024 Canadian dollars.

At a 53% uptake, 100% HIVST sensitivity and 99.5% specificity, the I'm Ready programme was associated with an incremental cost of C$270 and a QALY gain of 0.01 per person, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $23,331/QALY compared to standard care. Key drivers of cost-effectiveness included cost and utility associated with antiretroviral therapy initiation, utility of the AIDS health state and testing uptake under standard care.

At the current test uptake and diagnostic accuracy levels, the I'm Ready programme is cost-effective at the willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000 per QALY. While findings reflect the Canadian health system context, this study offers broader insight into the value of HIVST as a public health tool to accelerate progress towards global HIV awareness targets.