ArticleCanada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada2021
HIV self-testing in Ottawa, Canada used by persons at risk for HIV: The GetaKit study.
Article in Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Evidence on Digital HIV Self-Testing From Accuracy to Impact: Updated Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- Perceived benefits, barriers, and health system consequences of introducing new models of online sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection testing in Ontario, Canada.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Factors Associated with Mobile App Ordering of HIV Self-test Kits and Reporting of Results Among Black People in Canada: Analysis of Data from "I'm Ready" National HIV Self-testing Implementation Study.AIDS and behavior · 2026Article
- Acceptability of HIV self-testing among sexual health service providers and Two-Spirit, gay, bisexual, and queer men in Ontario, Canada.Health promotion international · 2026Article
- Popularity of HIV self-tests may say more about the state of our primary care system than about the device itself.Canada communicable disease report = Releve des maladies transmissibles au Canada · 2024Article
- Targeted HIV Self-Testing Identifies Persons with Undiagnosed HIV and Active Engagement Links them to Care: The GetaKit Study.AIDS and behavior · 2024Article
- First-time testers in the GetaKit study: conceptualizing new paths to care for gbMSM.Health promotion international · 2023Article
- HIV self-testing in the real world is acceptable for many: post-test participant feedback from the GetaKit study in Ottawa, Canada.Journal of research in nursing : JRN · 2022Article
- Asynchronous Online Platforms Can Reduce Healthcare Costs for STI and HIV Testing: Evaluating GetaKit.ca in Ontario, Canada.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingArticle
- Comparing the Uptake of HIV Self-Testing to HIV Serology: Findings from GetaKit-A Prospective Open Cohort Study in Ontario, Canada.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS CareArticle
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundThe Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that about 87% of persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Canada have been diagnosed, which is well below the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS target to have 95% of HIV-positive persons diagnosed. Research has shown that HIV self-testing may help increase such diagnoses, especially among the populations who are most affected by HIV. The objective of the study was to determine the uptake and diagnosis outcomes associated with free HIV self-testing.
methodsWe developed the first online mailout free HIV self-testing program in Canada and implemented it in Ottawa. This project ran through the website, www.GetaKit.ca. We intended to recruit 150-400 participants over a 6-12-month period, estimating that this number would yield between 0-1 positive test results (expected positivity rate of 0.08%).
resultsBetween July 20, 2020 and April 1, 2021, 1,268 people accessed the GetaKit website and verified their eligibility. In total, 600 persons were eligible and 405 ordered an HIV kit. Of those who ordered a kit, 399 completed a baseline survey. Overall, 71% of these participants were members of HIV priority groups. For test results, 228 persons reported test results, with one being positive, for a positivity rate of 0.24% overall and 0.44% of reported results. These rates exceed that normally observed in Ottawa.
conclusionSelf-testing of HIV can be effectively delivered through a website. Such an intervention will also be used by persons with undiagnosed infections and appears to do so at a rate higher than that observed by other means of testing. Self-testing of HIV may therefore help Canada achieve the United Nations 95-95-95 targets.
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