Blood borne virus and sexually transmissible infection self-testing among key population groups

Testing for blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections is a critical component in global elimination efforts among key population groups, including gay and bisexual men and people who inject drugs. However, there are numerous individual and system level barriers to testing at fixed site locations. Self-testing has been suggested as a way to overcome these barriers, including by the World Health Organization.

In order to inform the potential implementation and upscale of self-testing and overcome the well-established research-to-practice gap, a range of projects are on offer, with a particular focus on HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C. These may include quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods projects depending on the background and interests of students.

For example:

• conducting interviews with gay and bisexual men on preferences for syphilis self-testing
• undertaking human-centred design research on digital platforms for HIV self-testing
• designing, conducting, and analysing surveys on hepatitis C self-testing among people who inject drugs attending harm reduction services
• interviews with these people and other key stakeholders, including doctors and nurses, to gain an understanding of how self-testing may be integrated into existing services.