Preferences for an HIV Self-Testing Program Among Women who Engage in sex Work and use Drugs in Kazakhstan, Central Asia
Cordingley O. McCrimmon T. West B.S. Darisheva M. Primbetova S. Terlikbaeva A. Gilbert L. El-Bassel N. Frye V.
March 2023SAGE Publications Inc.
Research on Social Work Practice
2023#33Issue 3296 - 304 pp.
Purpose: Women engaged in sex work (WESW) who use drugs face barriers to HIV testing. HIV self-testing (HST) may empower sex workers to learn their HIV status; however, it is not scaled up among WESW in Kazakhstan. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to traditional HIV testing and HST among this population. Method: We conducted 30 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and four focus groups (FGs) with Kazakhstani WESW who use drugs. Pragmatic analysis was used to explore key themes from qualitative data. Results: Participants welcomed HST due to its potential to overcome logistical challenges by accessing HIV testing, as well as the stigma that WESW faces in traditional HIV testing. Participants desired emotional and social support for HST, and for linkage to HIV care and other services. Discussion: HST among women who exchange sex and use drugs can be successfully implemented to mitigate stigma and barriers to HIV testing.
drug use , female sex workers , HIV self-testing , HIV testing , IPV , stigma
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School of Social Work, Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, United States
Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
Global Health Research Center of Central Asia, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Community Health and Social Medicine, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
School of Social Work
Sociomedical Sciences
Global Health Research Center of Central Asia
Department of Community Health and Social Medicine
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