HIV self-testing (HIVST) delivered by trained volunteers may prove to be widely used, safe, accurate, and acceptable in urban settings of sub-Saharan Africa, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine.

This community-based prospective study, funded by the Wellcome Trust and led by Augustine Choko of the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi and Liz Corbett of London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK, also showed that HIVST may lead to acceptable linkage into HIV care services and have a very low incidence of major social harms such as partner violence.