A variety of strategies have been used to reach men with HIV self-testing services, including social network-based HIV self-test kits distribution. However, few studies have assessed men’s comfort to distribute to or receive HIV self-test kits from close male friends within the same social network. In this study, we assessed men’s comfort to distribute to and/or receive HIV self-test kits from close male friends and associated factors among men who socialize in networks locally referred to as “camps” in Tanzania. Data are from the baseline survey of a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in June 2019 with 18 social networks or “camps” in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Participants were 18-year-old or older male camp members who were HIV-negative at the time of enrolment. We used the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to assess factors associated with being comfortable to distribute to and/or receive HIV self-test kits from close male members within one’s social network. Of 505 participants, 67.9% (n = 342) reported being comfortable to distribute to while 68.2% (n = 344) were comfortable to receive HIV self-test kits from their close male friends. Ever having heard about HIV self-testing (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (Adj. PR): 1.6; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.3, 1.9), willingness to self-test for HIV in front of a sexual partner (Adj. PR: 3.0; 95%CI: 1.5, 6.1) and exposure to peer-led HIV self-testing education and promotion (Adj. PR: 1.4; 95%CI: 1.2, 1.7) were significantly associated with being comfortable to distribute HIV self-test kits to close male members within one’s social network. Similar results were observed for being comfortable to receive HIV self-test kits from a close male friend within one’s social network. Overall, these findings suggest that distribution of HIV self-test kits through close male friends could improve the proportion of men reached with HIV self-testing services and improve HIV testing rates in this population where uptake remains low. However, additional promotional strategies such as peer-led HIV self-testing education are needed to raise awareness and increase the proportion of men who are comfortable to receive and/or distribute HIV self-testing kits.

中文翻译：

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坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆男性社交网络成员分发或接受 HIV 自我检测试剂盒的舒适度：STEP 项目的基线结果

已经使用了多种策略来为男性提供艾滋病毒自我检测服务，包括基于社交网络的艾滋病毒自我检测试剂盒分发。然而，很少有研究评估男性在同一社交网络内向亲密男性朋友分发或接受 HIV 自我检测试剂盒的舒适度。在这项研究中，我们在坦桑尼亚当地称为“营地”的网络中进行社交的男性中，评估了男性向亲密男性朋友分发和/或接受 HIV 自我检测试剂盒的舒适度以及相关因素。数据来自于 2019 年 6 月在坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆的 18 个社交网络或“营地”进行的整群随机对照试验的基线调查。参与者是在登记时为 HIV 阴性的 18 岁或以上的男性营地成员。我们使用广义估计方程 (GEE) 来评估与在一个人的社交网络中向亲密男性成员分发和/或接收 HIV 自我检测套件相关的因素。在 505 名参与者中，67.9% (n = 342) 表示愿意分发给他们，而 68.2% (n = 344) 表示愿意从亲密的男性朋友那里收到 HIV 自我检测试剂盒。曾经听说过 HIV 自我检测（调整后的患病率（调整 PR）：1.6；95% 置信区间 [CI]：1.3、1.9），愿意在性伴侣面前进行 HIV 自我检测（调整 PR : 3.0; 95% CI: 1.5, 6.1) 以及接受同伴主导的 HIV 自我检测教育和推广（调整 PR：1.4；95%CI：1.2, 1.7）与自我传播 HIV 的舒适度显着相关。测试套件以关闭社交网络中的男性成员。观察到类似的结果是从一个人的社交网络中的亲密男性朋友那里接受艾滋病毒自检工具包感到舒服。总体而言，这些研究结果表明，通过亲密的男性朋友分发艾滋病毒自检工具包可以提高接受艾滋病毒自检服务的男性的比例，并提高这一人群中艾滋病毒检测率仍然很低的人群。然而，还需要其他宣传策略，例如同行领导的艾滋病毒自我检测教育，以提高认识并增加愿意接受和/或分发艾滋病毒自我检测试剂盒的男性比例。这些调查结果表明，通过亲密的男性朋友分发艾滋病毒自检工具包可以提高接受艾滋病毒自检服务的男性的比例，并提高这一人群中艾滋病毒检测率仍然很低的人群。然而，还需要其他推广策略，例如同行领导的艾滋病毒自我检测教育，以提高认识并增加愿意接受和/或分发艾滋病毒自我检测试剂盒的男性比例。这些调查结果表明，通过亲密的男性朋友分发艾滋病毒自检工具包可以提高接受艾滋病毒自检服务的男性的比例，并提高这一人群中艾滋病毒检测率仍然很低的人群。然而，还需要其他宣传策略，例如同行领导的艾滋病毒自我检测教育，以提高认识并增加愿意接受和/或分发艾滋病毒自我检测试剂盒的男性比例。