Title: Syphilis self-testing to expand test uptake among men who have sex with men (MSM): A pilot study in Zimbabwe
Aims:
- To determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a community-based syphilis self-testing intervention (comprising a self-test kit with simplified pictorial guidance) to increase syphilis diagnosis and treatment among MSM (primary outcomes)
- To establish the effectiveness of the intervention to improve sexual behaviors, social outcomes, self-testing usability, and HIV test uptake (secondary outcome).
Design: Single Blind Prospective Pilot Study
Study Sites: selected communities around Zimbabwe
Study Duration: six months
Overall Objectives:
- Pilot a comprehensive HIV/syphilis self-testing intervention among 100 MSM over a period of six months
- Measure acceptability and feasibility of using syphilis self-testing kits
- Determine optimal methods for distributing self-test kits
- Identify clinical sites in the city for the facility- testing and linkage to care
- Estimate the sample size for a future trial
- Estimate the cost of intervention delivery and inform our future trial
Study Population: One hundred MSM recruited in Zimbabwe
Study Outcome: Proportion of individuals who undertake a syphilis test and link appropriately to care.