JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are significant global health concerns, particularly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In China, a significant number of international migrants from LMICs reside, many of whom are at high risk of HBV/HCV infection with few test utilization. Previous studies presented Pay-it-forward (PIF) strategy has proven effective in promoting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) test in various populations. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a PIF intervention in promoting HBV/HCV testing among international migrants from LMICs in China.

Objective:

Aims to evaluate the impact of a pay-it-forward (PIF) intervention in promoting hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing among international migrants from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) residing in China.

Methods:

A two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in Guangzhou, China. Participants will be recruited from a public hospital serving a large migrant community. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the PIF intervention arm or the control arm in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the intervention arm will receive free HBV/HCV tests donated by previous participants and will have the opportunity to donate to support future tests. The control arm will receive standard medical services with self-paid testing. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants tested for both HBV and HCV. Data will be collected through a self-administered questionnaire and hospital records, and analyzed using generalized estimating equations to account for clustering effects.

Results:

The data collection has been completed, and the information of 100 participants was included to the data analysis.

Conclusions:

This study is innovative in targeting international migrants from LMICs in China and employing the PIF strategy to promote HBV/HCV testing. The PIF intervention is expected to increase testing rates by addressing financial barriers and fostering a sense of community support. The findings will contribute to the understanding of HBV/HCV testing promotion among this understudied population, with potential implications for public health policy and practice. Clinical Trial: ChiCTR2400082560. Registered on 1st April 2024.