Acceptability, Feasibility and Impact of Oral HIV Self-testing for Partner Testing Among Kenyan Adolescent Girls Aged 15-19 Years: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Acceptability, Feasibility and Impact of Oral HIV Self-testing for Partner Testing Among Kenyan Adolescent Girls Aged 15-19 Years: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This randomized controlled trial will assess the feasibility, acceptability and impact of the
 provision of multiple oral-fluid based HIV self-test kits to HIV-negative adolescents aged
 15-19 years to promote HIV testing among their sexual partners and couples testing.
This study will recruit HIV-negative adolescents girls (AG) aged 15-19 years in Siaya County,
 western Kenya. The study will evaluate the impact of the provision of oral HIV self-testing
 on uptake of testing among partners of adolescent girls. We will randomize about 300 sexually
 active AG to either an intervention group that receives multiple oral self-test kits that
 they can choose to offer to their sexual partner(s) or to a control group that will be given
 multiple referral coupons that their partners can use for HIV testing at pre-selected HIV
 testing services (HTS) sites. We will collect data on whether the kits were offered, to whom
 they were offered, if they were accepted, if they were used and with what results, if known,
 and if the partners who obtained HIV-positive results sought confirmatory testing. We will
 also conduct in-depth interviews with a sub-set adolescents to explore their experiences in
 offering HIV self-testing to their male partners.

 This study has 4 specific aims: i) determine whether adolescent girls can safely offer oral
 HIV self-tests to their partners; ii) assess whether oral self-testing improves uptake of HIV
 testing among partners of adolescent girls; iii) document adverse events associated with
 offering oral self-testing to sexual partners of adolescent girls; and iv) qualitatively
 explore the experiences of adolescent girls when offering self-test kits to their partners.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Female

 -  Aged 15-19 years

 -  HIV-negative (willing to self-test onsite in the presence of the Research Assistant
 who is also a trained HIV counselor)

 -  Has at least one current sexual partner she expects to meet at least twice in the next
 3 months (not necessarily to have sex); this will provide opportunity for the
 participant to suggest/offer testing.

 -  Resides in Siaya County and does not intend to relocate within 6 months from
 enrollment, to allow follow up to be completed and to conduct IDI with those selected.

 -  Willing to be randomized into the partner self-testing or HTS referral groups.

 -  Reporting no incident of sexual, physical, emotional, or economic abuse in the last 12
 months from the partner she intends to offer (Appendix 4) or refer for testing
 (Appendix 3) in the next 3 months and does not believe the partner will abuse her if
 she offers the self-test kits or HTS referral coupon.

 -  Has a male partner who has not tested for 6 months or whose HIV status is unknown to
 her.

 -  Agrees to give consent to participate in the study.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Male

 -  HIV-positive

 -  Not willing to self-test onsite under in the presence of the Research Assistant

 -  Aged <15 years or >19 years

 -  Does not have a current sexual partner or does not expect to meet the partner at least
 twice in the next 3 months

 -  Does not reside in Siaya County or intends to relocate within the next 6 months

 -  Not interested in obtaining HIV self-tests or HTS referral coupon for purposes of
 suggesting testing to their sexual partners

 -  Reporting an incidence of sexual, physical, emotional or economic abuse in the last 12
 months from the partner she would have offered self-test kit or referred for testing,
 or believes the partner may subject her to sexual, physical, emotional, or economic
 abuse if she offered them self-test kit or HTS coupon.

 -  Has a male partner who tested within the last 6 months.

 -  Does not give consent to participate in the study