Table 2 General summary of characteristics and recommendations by type of intervention
Intervention group | Advantages | Disadvantages | Recommendations | Gaps for new research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Self-test distribution system | Use of new technologies for health promotion, aimed at different contexts; possibility of approaching subgroups that are more difficult to access; more controlled clinical trials with more robust evidence of efficacy | Higher operational cost; greater difficulty in carrying out post-test counseling and in offering comprehensive care for new cases; difficulty to reach populations of greater social vulnerability | Application development for specific local contexts; incorporation of self-test distribution strategies into the routine of Testing and Counseling Centers (CTA) | Clinical trials with robust samples and longer duration; assessment in places of greater socioeconomic vulnerability |
Organization of health services | Relatively simple execution; possibility of offering counseling and comprehensive care for new cases; assistance by a qualified professional with the potential to promote testing | Does not reach subgroups that are more hidden and resistant to testing; cost of hiring and permanent training of human resources | Creation of specific services for MSM and sexual health; permanent qualification of CTA teams; employment of actions for the active search for sexual contacts | Clinical trials with robust samples and for a longer period of time; cost-effectiveness assessment of actions |
Social marketing campaign | Relatively simple execution; greater reach in the general community; possibility of approaching subgroups that are more difficult to access through social media actions | Efficacy in general with more discrete magnitude and decreasing with time; difficulty in reaching populations with greater social vulnerability; need to carry out frequent campaigns associated with other actions | Expansion of educational actions on social networks and other virtual platforms, especially those aimed at specific subgroups of key populations | Clinical trials using different digital resources, with robust and longer-lasting samples; employing the most appropriate means of communication to reach the target population |
Peer education | Content of actions adapted to the context of the target population; possibility of approaching subgroups that are more difficult to access (especially in virtual environments) | More difficult to operationalize, especially actions in the field aimed at subgroups that are more difficult to access; higher cost for training the team | Development of strategies to encourage the involvement of civil society and Non-Governmental Organizations in testing and prevention actions | Randomized clinical trials with evaluation of a greater number of participants and for a longer period, including a diversified spectrum of virtual environments |