Correlates of HIV self-testing among female sex workers in China: implications for expanding HIV screening

Background:Human immunodefciency virus(HIV)self-testing may help improve test uptake among female sex workers.China has implemented many HIV self-testing programs among men who have sex with men,creating an opportunity for promotion among female sex workers.However,there is a limited literature on examining HIV selftesting among female sex workers.This study aimed to examine HIV self-testing experiences and its determinants among female sex workers in China.Methods:A venue-based,cross-sectional study was conducted among Chinese female sex workers in 2019.Participants completed a survey including social-demographic characteristics,sexual behaviors,and HIV self-testing history,the distribution of which were analyzed using descriptive analysis.Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify associations with HIV self-testing.Results:Among 1287 Chinese female sex workers,1072(83.3%,95%confdence interval[CI]81.2-85.3%)had ever tested for HIV,and 103(8.0%,95%CI 6.6-9.6%)had ever used HIV self-testing.More than half reported that the selftest was their frst HIV test(59.2%,61/103),around one-ffth reported HIV self-testing results infuenced the price of sex(21.4%,22/103).A minority of individuals reported ever experiencing pressure to undertake HIV self-testing(6.8%,7/103).After adjusting for covariates,HIV self-testing was positively associated with receiving anal sex in the past month(adjusted odds ratio[aOR]=2.2,95%CI 1.4-3.5),using drugs before or during sex(aOR=2.8,95%CI 1.8-4.5),injecting drugs in the past 6 months(aOR=2.6,95%CI 1.2-6.0),being diagnosed with other sexually transmitted infections(aOR=1.6,95%CI 1.0-2.5),tested for other sexually transmitted infections in the past six months(aOR=3.4,95%CI 2.1-5.5),ever tested in the hospital(aOR=3.4,95%CI 2.0-5.6),and ever tested in the community(aOR=1.5,95%CI 1.2-1.9).Conclusions:Our fndings suggest that HIV self-testing could expand overall HIV testing uptake,increase HIV testing frequency,reach sub-groups of high-risk female sex workers and has limited potential harms among female sex workers.HIV self-testing should be incorporated among Chinese female sex workers as a complement to facility-based HIV testing services.