Optimizing Veteran-Facing Materials for Vending Machine-Dispensed HIV Self-Testing: Formative Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Community Engagement

Background:

• Veterans encounter significant barriers to HIV screening, including stigma and privacy concerns.
• At-home HIV self-testing (HIVST) kits accessed via vending machines (VMs) require clear, stigma-minimizing materials for effective study participation.
• Effective communication is crucial for HIVST studies involving veterans, especially for those testing outside clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather structured feedback from veteran advocates living with HIV on study materials for a pilot evaluation of VM-dispensed HIVST kits.
• To document how advocate feedback informed revisions to recruitment, education, survey, and interview materials before study launch.

Main Methods:

• Participatory action research approach involving veteran advocates with lived HIV expertise.
• Structured written reviews and virtual focus groups were used to collect feedback on study materials.
• Thematic analysis of feedback was conducted, with findings systematically mapped to material revisions using a revision matrix.

Main Results:

• Advocates recommended clearer, plain-language descriptions and simplified participation pathways.
• Feedback highlighted the need to reduce confusion between research recruitment and HIVST kit promotion.
• Advocates requested reduced text density, lower participant burden, and more actionable "next steps" with human support and linkage-to-care resources.

Conclusions:

• Veteran advocate feedback directly informed prelaunch revisions of multiple study materials.
• Systematic documentation of stakeholder input and material adaptations can enhance future veteran-facing HIV screening materials.
• This formative review underscores the value of community input in refining health intervention materials for specific populations.