Do homosexual men test more frequently for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with rapid tests? A randomised controlled trial.

Do homosexual men using rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tests compared to conventional HIV serology, test more frequently?

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12610000430033

Enrollment

400

Registered

2010-05-27

Start date

2010-06-28

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

At present, about 50% of homosexual men have HIV tests at least once per year. Increasing this proportion is predicted to reduce the rate of HIV transmission in the population, due to changes in sexual behaviour brought about by diagnosis. Rapid HIV tests are not currently approved or available for general use in Australia, but these may prove more accepatable because patients do not need to return for a second consultation for their result and a less invasive sample is required. This study is a randomised trial of the effect of making rapid HIV tests available to men having sex with men (MSM) on the frequency with which they have HIV tests. Consenting HIV-negative MSM requesting an HIV test at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) will be randomised in equal proportion to either onging access to a rapid test for 18 months or to standard laboratory-based serology (which requires them to return for their result in a week). This is not blinded; both groups are sent three-monthly reminders by e-mail and SMS, reminding them of their study allocation, and asking them to complete six-monthly questionnaires on sexual behaviour and whether they have had HIV tests elsewhere.

Interventions

Ongoing access to rapid HIV tests (available to intervention group only at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre) for 18 months trial period. Using Determine HIV1/2 Ag/Ab Combo rapid test (Alere). This immunochromatographic test uses a fingerprick blood sample and provides a result in 20 minutes.

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Prevention

Masking

Open (masking not used)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

Male

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

Men with male sexual partner within past year Requesting HIV test on day of enrolment HIV test within past two years HIV negative at last test

Exclusion criteria

known HIV infection

Outcome results