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August 29, 2007
A Little (Self) Help, Please?
A new study in Singapore indicates that individuals at the highest risk for infection use HIV self-tests incorrectly.
The study asked 350 participants, 88 of whom were known to be HIV positive, to take the Abbott Determine HIV 1 and 2 test. The vast majority of participants said they understood how to administer the test correctly and properly interpret the results; however, researchers found that 85 percent of participants used the test incorrectly.
Those participants who were HIV positive were more likely to correctly perform the self-tests. Researchers say this might be because the HIV-positive participants were more familiar and experienced with blood tests.
