COVID-19 and HIV testing: different viruses but similar prejudices and psychosocial impacts
Michel, Janet;
Stuber, Raphael;
Müller, Martin;
Mettler, Annette;
Furrer, Hansjakob;
Ferrand, Rashida A;
Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K;
Hautz, Wolf E;
Sauter, Thomas C;
(2021)
COVID-19 and HIV testing: different viruses but similar prejudices and psychosocial impacts.
Journal of global health reports, 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.21403
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Background:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) high infectivity and perceived substantial fatality rates are causing negative psychosocial effects, including the increased psychiatric and economic burden. Research has demonstrated that a severe diagnosis triggers various responses in a person, including depression, sense of hopelessness, shame, and self-destructive behaviours. This manuscript explores the reasons why people did not follow the recommendations to be tested for SARS-CoV-2.
Methods
A mixed study design, sequential explanatory study was carried out from March-Dec 2020, based on an online COVID-19 symptom checker. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Video interviews were held with Key Informants (n=19), who were selected purposefully from the online tool users’ group that consented to the study.
Results:
Among 176 users of the online triage tool, 150 (85%) followed the recommendations and 26 (15%) did not. The reasons people did not test for SARS-CoV-2 emerged as fivefold: i) improved symptoms, ii) the cost of test, iii) fear of a painful test procedure, iv) test kit shortages, and v) fear of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result.
Conclusions:
Of the reasons why people did not test, fear of a positive SARS-CoV-2 result remains unaddressed in our view. Integrating pre- and post-test counselling into SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies, similarly as done for HIV-testing, seems warranted to address this problem.