Dataset Information

Promoting routine syphilis screening among men who have sex with men in China: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of syphilis self-testing and lottery incentive.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a high burden of syphilis infection. Expanding syphilis testing to improve timely diagnosis and treatment is critical to improve syphilis control. However, syphilis testing rates remain low among MSM, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We describe the protocol for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to assess whether provision of syphilis self-testing services can increase the uptake of syphilis testing among MSM in China. METHODS:Four hundred forty-four high-risk MSM will be recruited online and randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to (1) standard syphilis self-testing arm; (2) a self-testing arm program enhanced with crowdsourcing and a lottery-based incentive, and (3) a standard of care (control). Self-testing services include a free syphilis self-test kit through the mail at monthly intervals. Participants in the lottery incentive arm will additionally receive health promotion materials generated from an open crowdsourcing contest and be given a lottery draw with a 10% chance to win 100 RMB (approximately 15 US Dollars) upon confirmed completion of syphilis testing. Syphilis self-test kits have step-by-step instructions and an instructional video. This is a non-blinded, open-label, parallel RCT. Participants in each arm will be followed-up at three and 6 months through WeChat (a social media app like Facebook messenger). Confirmation of syphilis self-test use will be determined by requiring participants to submit a photo of the used test kit to study staff via secure data messaging. Both self-testing and facility-based testing will be ascertained by sending a secure photographic image of the completed kit through an existing digital platform. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants who tested for syphilis in the past 3 months. DISCUSSION:Findings from this study will provide much needed insight on the impact of syphilis self-testing on promoting routine syphilis screening among MSM. The findings will also contribute to our understanding of the safety, effectiveness and acceptability of syphilis self-testing. These findings will have important implications for self-testing policy, both in China and internationally. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ChiCTR1900022409 (10 April, 2019).

SUBMITTER: Cheng W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7325146 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Promoting routine syphilis screening among men who have sex with men in China: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of syphilis self-testing and lottery incentive.

Cheng Weibin W Wang Cheng C Tang Weiming W Ong Jason J JJ Fu Hongyun H Marks Michael M Smith M Kumi MK Li Changchang C Nie Juan J Zhao Peizhen P Zheng Heping H Yang Bin B Tucker Joseph D JD

BMC infectious diseases 20200629 1

<h4>Background</h4>Men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a high burden of syphilis infection. Expanding syphilis testing to improve timely diagnosis and treatment is critical to improve syphilis control. However, syphilis testing rates remain low among MSM, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We describe the protocol for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to assess whether provision of syphilis self-testing services can increase the uptake of syphilis testing among MSM in China.<h4 ...[more]

PMID: 32600260

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Project description:BackgroundIndividuals with risk-loving attitudes may be more likely to participate in high-risk sex and gambling. We investigated whether a lottery-based financial incentive to have a negative syphilis test may attract Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) who practised risky sexual behaviours.MethodsIn July 2018, a national online cross-sectional survey was conducted in China. We collected information on willingness to participate in a lottery-based financial incentive where men were eligible if they tested negative for syphilis, and the minimum prize that would attract them to participate. We used a validated risk attitude scale which asked about the willingness to take risks in six domains, ranging from 0 (avoids taking risk) to 10 (fully prepared to take risks). To avoid multicollinearity, we used principal components analysis to create a 'risk attitude index'. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression explored factors associated with willingness to test negative for syphilis.Results699 MSM enrolled with a median age of 26 years (IQR: 23-30). 70% self-identified as gay and 52% reported ever testing for syphilis. 64% stated they were likely or very likely to test for syphilis linked with a lottery-based incentive. The median desired amount for the lottery had an expected value of ¥10 (US$1.50, IQR: ¥5-¥30). Men who had greater odds of willingness to participate in the lottery-based incentive were those scoring highest on the risk attitude index (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.6, 95% CI 1.5 to 4.3), those reporting more than one sexual partner in the last 3 months (AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.4), those who had not used condoms during their last sex (AOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.2) and those who ever had group sex (AOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.2).ConclusionChinese MSM with higher risk attitudes and who reported riskier sexual behaviours indicated greater interest in the concept of a lottery-based incentive for syphilis testing. A lottery-based incentive may be a promising strategy for promoting condom use among risk-loving men.

Project description:BackgroundMen who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women in Peru are at high risk for acquiring syphilis and HIV infection. The World Health Organization highly recommends screening for HIV and syphilis to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with untreated infections. We aimed to identify factors associated with dual testing preferences for HIV and syphilis infection among MSM and transgender women in Lima, Peru.MethodsWe used conjoint analysis, an innovative method for systematically estimating consumer preferences. We created eight hypothetical test profiles varying across six dichotomous attributes: cost (free vs. $4), potential for false positive syphilis result (no false positive vs. some risk of false positive), time-to-result (20 minutes vs. 1 week), blood draw method (finger prick vs. venipuncture), test type (rapid vs. laboratory), and number of draws (1 vs. 2). We fit a conjoint analysis model for each participant using a simple main effects ANOVA. Attribute importance values were calculated using percentages from relative ranges in the attribute's utility values. Results were summarized across participants and averages were reported.ResultsWe recruited 415 MSM/transgender women over 18 years of age from two STD clinics in Lima, Peru. No potential for syphilis false positive result (no false positive vs. some potential for false positive) had the largest average impact on willingness to use the test and on average accounted for 23.8% of test type preference, followed by cost (free vs. ~USD$4; 21.6%), time to results (20 minutes vs. 1 week; 17.4%), number of blood draws (1 draw vs. 2 draws; 13.8%), method of blood draw (fingerprick vs. venipuncture; 13.7%), and test type (rapid POC vs. laboratory; 9.7%).ConclusionMSM/transgender women in Peru prioritized accuracy, cost, timeliness and number of blood draws for HIV and syphilis testing. Implementing a low cost, accurate, rapid and dual testing strategy for HIV and syphilis could improve screening uptake and accessibility of testing to accelerate time to treatment.

Project description:BackgroundSyphilis infections have been on the rise, affecting men living with HIV in urban centres disproportionately. Since individuals in HIV care undergo routine blood testing, HIV clinics provide practical opportunities to conduct regular and frequent syphilis testing. Following the implementation of a routine syphilis testing intervention in HIV outpatient clinics, we conducted a qualitative process evaluation of patient experiences to measure patient acceptability, barriers to implementation, and facilitators of successful uptake.MethodsUpon completion of the trial, which took place at four HIV outpatient clinics in Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, we recruited male patients attending these clinics from November 2017 to April 2018. Interviews were conducted on-site and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. All participants provided written informed consent. Interview data were analyzed using grounded theory, assessing qualitative modulators of effective uptake of routinised syphilis testing.ResultsA total of 21 male patients were interviewed. Overall, interviewees found the clinical intervention acceptable, endorsing the practice of routinising syphilis testing alongside regular viral load bloodwork. Some men preferred, based on their self-assessment of syphilis risk, to opt out of testing; we considered this as a potential barrier to uptake of population-wide routinised syphilis testing. Interviewees also identified multiple facilitators of successful uptake, including the de-stigmatising of STI testing as a consequence of the universal nature of routinised testing. Participants recommended a routinised syphilis screening intervention to give patients peace of mind surrounding their sexual health. Participants identified HIV care clinics as comfortable and efficient locations to offer testing.ConclusionsOverall, most men were in support of implementing routinised syphilis testing as part of standard HIV care. From the patient perspective, HIV care clinics are convenient places to be tested for syphilis, and the routine approach was viewed to have a de-stigmatisng effect on syphilis testing.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02019043; registered December 23, 2013.

Dataset Information

Promoting routine syphilis screening among men who have sex with men in China: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of syphilis self-testing and lottery incentive.

Publications

Promoting routine syphilis screening among men who have sex with men in China: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of syphilis self-testing and lottery incentive.

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