Knowledge about self-testing among community organizations and public health authorities

Organizations should work to raise awareness of HIV self-testing and build support among stakeholders within their community. By prioritizing relationship building with local public health authorities and community-based organizations, organizations can establish trust and support for self-test kit distribution within the community. Proactive engagement can also help to strengthen self-test kit distribution and sustain the work by ensuring buy-in of local governments, local leaders and organizations with similar mandates. 

“Secure community partner buy-in before starting” – Dialogue participant

The following best-practice recommendations outline strategies to consider when working to increase the knowledge of HIV self-testing among community organizations and local public health authorities.

Practice-based recommendations:

1. Inform local public health authorities about your HIV self-test kit distribution program, providing details on the accuracy of the test, Health Canada approval and the need for confirmatory testing following a reactive result. This will help them prepare for a potential increase in confirmatory HIV testing and will alert them to the need to link people to care and conduct contact tracing.

2. Increase awareness of your organization’s self-test kit distribution program within community-based organizations in your area that are serving similar communities. 

3. If your organization is planning to distribute HIV self-test kits in communities outside your own, ensure local buy-in and support. 

4. Consider working with local, provincial or territorial government authorities and Indigenous governing bodies to secure their support.