Willingness to use HIV self‐test kits and willingness to pay among urban antenatal clients in Cote d’Ivoire and Tanzania: A cross‐sectional study

OBJECTIVES To generate evidence on willingness to use HIV self-test kits and willingness to pay among antenatal care clients in public and private facilities in Cote d'Ivoire and Tanzania. METHODS Cross-sectional survey data was collected from 414 clients recruited from 35 high-volume facilities in Cote d'Ivoire and from 385 clients in 33 high-volume facilities in Tanzania. Surveys covered willingness to use HIV self-test kits, prices clients were willing to pay, advantages and disadvantages, and views on specific qualities of HIV self-tests. Market data on availability of proxy self-testing products (e.g. pregnancy and malaria tests) and attitudes of pharmacists toward HIV self-test kits were collected from 51 pharmacies in Cote d'Ivoire and 59 in Tanzania. RESULTS Willingness to use HIV self-test kits was 65% in Cote d'Ivoire and and 69% in Tanzania. Median ideal prices women would pay ranged from USD 1.77 in Cote d'Ivoire to USD 0.87 in Tanzania. Proxy self-test kits were available in pharmacies and interest was high in stocking HIV self-test kits. CONCLUSIONS Implications for national HIV self-test policy and planning include keeping prices low, providing psychological and HIV counseling, and ensuring linkage to HIV care and treatment services. Private pharmacies will play a key role in providing access to HIV self-test kits.