What did the researchers do and find?
We conducted an individually randomized, unblinded trial with 365 participants in Malawi (Index HIVST increased HIV testing among partners (71% with index HIVST versus 25% with standard of care), was cost-efficient, and was acceptable and feasible to both ART clients and their partners.ART initiation among those with a reactive HIV test was lower in the index HIVST arm compared to standard of care (47% versus 75%), but the proportion of all partners who initiated ART was higher because testing uptake was substantially higher in the index HIVST arm (5% versus 3% of all partners).