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Findings from the national online HIV self-sampling service in England. (Luis Guerra).
I found this talk to be if interest because in NSW we have launched the Dried Blood Spot - Home HIV self testing.
In England - eligible participants go to a website - WWW.freetesting.hiv and answer a. Few questions and then get a box sent the address they register.
The person then follows the instructions in the kit and utilising a lancet leaves a blood spot which is then posted back for testing.
Results are then sent out within 3 days via the delivery method the participant chooses.
If the result shows Reactive - the participant is contacted via phone and notified of the Reactive result - explaining the possible outcomes of a reactive result (Explaining it doesn't mean its a positive test).
The participant is given the details of local clinics and services and offered an appointment or they are able to book themselves.
Of the 40726 kits sent out - 22085 were returned. That's a 54% return rate.
There were 239 reactive samples.
Of those that tested 30% had never had a test. And 32% last tested over 1 year ago.
I hope that the NSW Dried blood spot testing program has such a high return rate and that we are able to capture the amount of people that otherwise would not have tested.