HIV testing service uptake in Finland: A study on barriers and facilitators
Kinyua, Bancy; Kunwar, Nabina (2020)
Kinyua, Bancy
Kunwar, Nabina
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020061218501
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020061218501
Tiivistelmä
Since the 1970s when the first case of the human immunodeficiency virus was detected, there have been many controversies since the topic is a sensitive one. Since then, it has been classified as a global epidemic having claimed millions of people so far. Globally, at least 75 million people have been infected with the virus and about 32 million people have died due to the epidemic. However, due to advancement in treatment, nowadays HIV has been considered a manageable condition, but if appropriate interventions are not initiated early, it can advance to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome leading to opportunistic diseases, and hence death. Although HIV testing is crucial for prevention and early diagnosis, late diagnosis still remains an area of concern in many countries, Finland being one of them.
The goal of this study was to increase awareness of accessibility and the use of HIV testing service in Finland to reduce late diagnosis. The objective of this study was to seek evidence on factors that contribute to low HIV testing service uptake in Finland, and factors that when put into practice can lead to increased HIV testing service uptake. The research questions for this study were finding out the factors that act as barriers to HIV testing service uptake in Finland, and the factors that when put into practice can lead into increased HIV testing service uptake in Finland.
Integrative literature review was used as a method for this study. Data search was conducted in May 2020 by using four databases. Ten qualitative and quantitative studies with varying designs were included after data evaluation was done. Critical Appraisal Skills Program for qualitative studies and systematic reviews and STROBE for the cross-sectional survey were used to assess the quality of included articles. Evidences from primary articles were extracted and key barriers and facilitators to HIV testing were identified, categorized, summarized, and organized in an evidence table.
Identified barriers included lack of knowledge and awareness of HIV, lack of HIV risk perception, lack of access to HIV testing, providers’ time constraints, communication problem, and fear and stigma. In addition, the identified facilitators included increasing knowledge and awareness about HIV, integrating HIV testing services into primary healthcare and normalizing testing, and access to testing.
HIV testing is a crucial step for prevention and early diagnosis of HIV. Therefore, recognizing the key barriers and facilitators to HIV testing is essential to increase population testing uptake capacity. The findings can be used as a tool to facilitate creation of effective strategies, aimed at in-creasing HIV testing service uptake, and decreasing the number of infected people who are unaware of their status.
The goal of this study was to increase awareness of accessibility and the use of HIV testing service in Finland to reduce late diagnosis. The objective of this study was to seek evidence on factors that contribute to low HIV testing service uptake in Finland, and factors that when put into practice can lead to increased HIV testing service uptake. The research questions for this study were finding out the factors that act as barriers to HIV testing service uptake in Finland, and the factors that when put into practice can lead into increased HIV testing service uptake in Finland.
Integrative literature review was used as a method for this study. Data search was conducted in May 2020 by using four databases. Ten qualitative and quantitative studies with varying designs were included after data evaluation was done. Critical Appraisal Skills Program for qualitative studies and systematic reviews and STROBE for the cross-sectional survey were used to assess the quality of included articles. Evidences from primary articles were extracted and key barriers and facilitators to HIV testing were identified, categorized, summarized, and organized in an evidence table.
Identified barriers included lack of knowledge and awareness of HIV, lack of HIV risk perception, lack of access to HIV testing, providers’ time constraints, communication problem, and fear and stigma. In addition, the identified facilitators included increasing knowledge and awareness about HIV, integrating HIV testing services into primary healthcare and normalizing testing, and access to testing.
HIV testing is a crucial step for prevention and early diagnosis of HIV. Therefore, recognizing the key barriers and facilitators to HIV testing is essential to increase population testing uptake capacity. The findings can be used as a tool to facilitate creation of effective strategies, aimed at in-creasing HIV testing service uptake, and decreasing the number of infected people who are unaware of their status.