Uptake of HIV Self-testing among Men Who have Sex with Men in Beijing, China: a Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo examine HIV self-testing uptake and its determinates among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Beijing, China. MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Beijing, China in 2016. Participants were users of a popular Chinese gay networking application and had an unknown or negative HIV status. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine factors associated with HIV self-testing based on adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). ResultsAmong the 5,996 MSM included in the study, 2,383 (39.7%) reported to have used HIV self-testing kits. Willingness to use an HIV self-test kit in the future was expressed by 92% of the participants. High monthly income (AOR = 1.49; CI = 1.10–2.02; P = 0.010), large number of male sex partners (≥ 2: AOR = 1.24; CI = 1.09-1.43; P = 0.002), sexual activity with commercial male sex partners (≥ 2: AOR = 1.94; CI = 1.34–2.82; P = 0.001), long-term drug use (AOR = 1.42; CI = 1.23-1.62; P < 0.001), and long-term HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) attendance (AOR = 3.62; CI = 3.11-4.22; P < 0.001) were all associated with increased odds of HIV self-testing uptake. ConclusionThe nearly 40% rate of HIV self-testing uptake among MSM in our sample was high. In addition, an over 90% willingness to use kits in the future was encouraging. HIV self-testing could be an important solution to help China achieve the global target of having 90% of all people living with HIV diagnosed by 2020.