Short Communication: Awareness of HIV Self-Care Interventions Across Global Regions: Results from a Values and Preferences Survey

The high burden of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa places significant demands on health care services. Interventions such as HIV self-testing, and pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP) could empower individuals to determine their HIV status and prevent HIV acquisition. In 2018, the World Health Organization disseminated an online, anonymous, global values and preferences survey to adults 18 years of age and older. The survey aimed to inform guidance on awareness, use, and preferences around self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using Pearson's chi-squared test to compare awareness of HIV self-testing, PrEP and PEP across five global regions. Our analysis included 814 participants from 110 countries. We noted that respondents from Africa reported higher awareness of HIV interventions than participants from Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, and Asia. Our finding highlights an opportunity to expand self-care interventions for HIV prevention and management in Africa.