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Bridging barriers to clinic-based HIV testing with new technology: translating self-implemented testing for African American youth

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Translational Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Numerous barriers to clinic-based HIV testing exist (e.g., stigmatization) for African American youth. These barriers may be addressed by new technology, specifically HIV self-implemented testing (SIT). We conducted a series of formative phase 3 translation studies (49 face-to-face interviews, 9 focus groups, 1 advisory panel review) among low-income African American youth (15–19 years) and providers of adolescent services in two US cities to identify potential translation difficulties of the OraQuick SIT. Based on content analysis, we found that providers and African American youth viewed SITs positively compared to clinic-based testing. Data suggest that SITs may reduce social stigma and privacy concerns and increase convenience and normalization of HIV testing. Challenges with SIT implementation include difficulties accessing confirmatory testing, coping with adverse outcomes, and instructional materials that may be inappropriate for low socioeconomic status (SES) persons. Study results underscore the need for translation studies to identify specific comprehension and implementation problems African American youth may have with oral SITs.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant number HD061027. The Institutional Review Boards for Oregon State University, DePaul University, and Harder and Company, and all sponsoring institutions approved study procedures. We would like to thank the Science Division of OraSure Inc. for providing background information on the OraQuick HIV tests. We wish to acknowledge the contribution of Carla Cudmore for editorial and manuscript preparation and the study participants for their time and commitment.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA

    J. A. Catania Ph.D., M. M. Dolcini Ph.D., D. P. Dowhower M.P.H. & S. L. Towner M.S., Ph.D.

  2. School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    G. W. Harper M.P.H., Ph.D.

  3. Department of Psychology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA

    A. Timmons M.A. & D. N. Motley B.A.

  4. DePaul Family and Community Services, Chicago, IL, USA

    D. H. Tyler Ph.D.

  5. School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, 401 Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    J. A. Catania Ph.D.

  6. Departments of Psychology and Sociology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA

    L. G. Dolcini-Catania

Authors
  1. J. A. Catania Ph.D.
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  2. M. M. Dolcini Ph.D.
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  3. G. W. Harper M.P.H., Ph.D.
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  5. L. G. Dolcini-Catania
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  6. S. L. Towner M.S., Ph.D.
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  7. A. Timmons M.A.
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  8. D. N. Motley B.A.
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  9. D. H. Tyler Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. A. Catania Ph.D..

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Implications

Practice: African American youth in low-income urban areas find oral self-implemented HIV testing desirable, but both youth and service providers of this population see potential translation problems that need to be resolved (e.g., implementation fidelity) before wider dissemination is possible.

Policy: Oral testing has the potential to supplement clinic-based testing in reaching national testing goals.

Research: Research is needed to examine barriers to implementation fidelity, identify strategies for improving fidelity, and investigate potential negative outcomes (e.g., negative emotional responses) to self-implemented testing.

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Catania, J.A., Dolcini, M.M., Harper, G.W. et al. Bridging barriers to clinic-based HIV testing with new technology: translating self-implemented testing for African American youth. Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res. 5, 372–383 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-015-0331-2

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