Authors: Heidi van Rooyen Nuala McGrath Admire Chirowodza Philip Joseph Agnès Fiamma Glenda Gray Linda Richter Thomas Coates
Publish Date: 2012/11/11
Volume: 17, Issue: 9, Pages: 2946-2953
Abstract
Mounting evidence exists that mobile voluntary counselling and testing VCT is able to extend coverage to new localities and populations We describe two feasibility and acceptability pilot studies conducted in rural and urban South Africa in preparation for the larger NIMH Project Accept HIV prevention trial A total of 1015 individuals participated in the pilot studies Participants in rural Vulindlela were younger median 22 years compared to urban Soweto p 0001 Young people were more likely to be first time testers in both sites p = 001 in Vulindlela p 0001 in Soweto with significantly more men likely to be first time testers than women p = 001 in Vulindlela p 0001 in Soweto User satisfaction with mobile VCT was extremely high in both sites Our study shows that providing mobile highquality and easy to access services in a high prevalence context is a feasible way to engage youth men and more rural populations in HIV counselling and testingThis research was sponsored by the US National Institute of Mental Health as a cooperative agreement through contracts U01MH066687 Johns Hopkins University—David Celentano PI U01MH066688 Medical University of South Carolina—Michael Sweat PI U01MH066701 University of California Los Angeles—Thomas J Coates PI and U01MH066702 University of California San Francisco—Stephen F Morin PI In addition this work was supported as HPTN Protocol 043 through contracts U01AI068613 HPTN Network Laboratory—Susan Eshleman PI U01AI068617 SCHARP—Deborah Donnell PI and U01AI068619/UM1AI068619 HIV Prevention Trials Network—Sten Vermund PI of the Division of AIDS of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and by the Office of AIDS Research of the US National Institutes of Health Views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of sponsoring agencies We thank the communities that partnered with us in conducting this research and all study participants for their contributions We also thank study staff and volunteers at all participating institutions for their work and dedication Special thanks to Ms Precious Modiba the Soweto Project Director for her invaluable insights commitment and contributions to Project Accept
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