JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted many low- and middle-income countries, such as Peru, overwhelming their health systems. Rapid antigen-detection self-tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have been proposed as a portable, safe, affordable, and easy-to-perform approach to improve early detection and surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in resource-constrained populations where there are gaps in access to healthcare.

Methods:

In 2021, a qualitative study was conducted in two areas of Peru (urban Lima and rural Valle del Mantaro), which aimed to explore decision-makers’ values and attitudes toward SARS-CoV-2 self-testing. Purposive sampling was used to identify representatives of various civil society communities, healthcare workers, and potential implementers, to act as informants whose voices would provide a proxy for the public’s attitudes around self-testing. The study received ethics approval from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia.

Results:

In total, 30 informants participated in individual semi-structured interviews (SSI), and 29 informants participated in five focus group discussions (FGD). Self-tests were considered to represent an approach to increase access to testing that both the rural and urban public in Peru would accept. The public would prefer saliva-based self-tests and would prefer to access them in their community pharmacies. Information about how to perform a self-test should be clear for each population subgroup in Peru. The tests should be of high quality and low cost. Health-informed communication strategies must accompany any introduction of self-testing. Conclusion: The Peruvian public would accept SARS-CoV-2 self-tests if they were accurate, safe to use, easily available, and affordable. Adequate information about the self-tests’ features and instructions, as well as about post-use access to counseling and care, must be made available through Ministry of Health personnel and Peru’s health system channels.

Objective:

With the aim of informing WHO policy guidance and Peru’s public health authorities, a qualitative study was conducted to investigate the public’s values and preferences around self-testing.

Methods:

With the aim of informing WHO policy guidance and Peru’s public health authorities, a qualitative study was conducted to investigate the public’s values and preferences around self-testing.

Results:

This study explored decision-makers’ values and preferences around SARS-CoV-2 self-testing in Peru. Most of the study informants did not know about self-testing; however, they appreciated its advantages and the benefits that it could bring, both to the general public and to the public health system in Peru. The majority of informants expressed a willingness to recommend its use. Regarding preferences, it was suggested that self-testing could be delivered in local pharmacies in coordination with public health services. In the informants’ opinion, if self-test devices had a price of between 5 and 10 USD, the public might find this cost acceptable.

Conclusions:

This study explored decision-makers’ values and preferences around SARS-CoV-2 self-testing in Peru. Most of the study informants did not know about self-testing; however, they appreciated its advantages and the benefits that it could bring, both to the general public and to the public health system in Peru. The majority of informants expressed a willingness to recommend its use. Regarding preferences, it was suggested that self-testing could be delivered in local pharmacies in coordination with public health services. In the informants’ opinion, if self-test devices had a price of between 5 and 10 USD, the public might find this cost acceptable. Clinical Trial: This study received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (ref. 205954).