"When you are alone and find out that you are HIV positive, you have no one to talk to”: perceptions of adults in Kenya about the role of counseling in HIV self-testing

Caroline W. Kabiru, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Estelle Monique Sidze, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Thaddaeus Egondi, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Stella Muthuri, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
Chimaraoke O. Izugbara, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

HIV self-testing is a useful strategy to reach individuals who may not be reached through facility-based testing services. Concerns, however, have been raised about the need to ensure that people who self-test are properly linked to counseling and care. This paper draws on quantitative and qualitative data collected from individuals aged 15-49 years in urban and rural Kenya to examine community perceptions about the role of and modalities for counseling if HIV self-testing were to be rolled out. Results indicate that the majority of study participants believed that counseling is important. Qualitative responses indicated that the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS was an important reason for counseling support. Participants who had received counseling were more likely to report that counseling for self-testers was important. Suggested avenues to provide counseling included point-of-sale counseling, phone-based counseling, and through community health workers. Study results are expected to inform guidelines on self-administered HIV tests.