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Background <p>COVID-19 self-testing is a key strategy for point-of-care testing and COVID-19 outbreak management to identify people infected with SARS-CoV-2 in low- and middle-income settings. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of healthcare worker-supervised COVID-19 self-tests at community bi-directional screening posts for COVID-19 and tuberculosis in urban and peri-urban areas in southern Mozambique.</p> Methods <p>Between May and August 2023, Persons presenting with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and those at risk of COVID-19 infection were eligible for self-testing. We collected and described a cascade of care and survey data from people who completed self-testing and conducted logistic regression to assess predictors of the likelihood of using the self-test again (likely/not likely). We invited a subset of clients and supervising healthcare workers to semi-structured in-depth interviews, and we analysed their transcripts using a thematic approach.</p> Results <p>We invited 382 people for self-testing, of whom 369 (96.6%) clients performed the self-test. 328 (88.9%) were willing to use the self-test again when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, and 332 (90%) declared to accept its use as a screening measure for COVID-19 contacts. Regarding its affordability, clients perceived self-testing as an acceptable strategy following its accessibility, comfort of use, and quick results. The feasibility of self-testing requires instructional videos in local languages, and implementation should be done through community channels. All supervising healthcare workers perceived self-testing as an important tool for increasing testing accessibility, early diagnosis, reduction of overcrowding and COVID-19 infection risk in healthcare facilities.</p> Conclusions <p>COVID-19 self-testing is acceptable and feasible if provided with linguistically and culturally appropriate health education and instructions at an affordable price. Self-test delivery packages and systems should be developed that could be adapted to existing or future self-tests for infectious diseases or other non-communicable diseases.</p>

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Feasibility and acceptability of COVID-19 self-testing offered through community screening posts in Mozambique: a mixed-methods study

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月6日

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  • Sheila Issufo,
  • Elzier Mavume-Mangunyane,
  • Emilio Valverde,
  • Sozinho Ndima,
  • Lucy Chimoyi,
  • Carlos Penicela,
  • Ivete Andrade,
  • Uwimana Berthilde,
  • Carlos Botão,
  • Phath G. Malate,
  • Carmen C. Bruno,
  • Amâncio Nhangave,
  • Bianca G. Tasca,
  • Norma Madden,
  • Rachel Powers,
  • Christiaan Mulder,
  • Sara Keller,
  • Remilekun Roland Peregrino,
  • Ineke Spruijt

摘要

Background

COVID-19 self-testing is a key strategy for point-of-care testing and COVID-19 outbreak management to identify people infected with SARS-CoV-2 in low- and middle-income settings. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of healthcare worker-supervised COVID-19 self-tests at community bi-directional screening posts for COVID-19 and tuberculosis in urban and peri-urban areas in southern Mozambique.

Methods

Between May and August 2023, Persons presenting with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and those at risk of COVID-19 infection were eligible for self-testing. We collected and described a cascade of care and survey data from people who completed self-testing and conducted logistic regression to assess predictors of the likelihood of using the self-test again (likely/not likely). We invited a subset of clients and supervising healthcare workers to semi-structured in-depth interviews, and we analysed their transcripts using a thematic approach.

Results

We invited 382 people for self-testing, of whom 369 (96.6%) clients performed the self-test. 328 (88.9%) were willing to use the self-test again when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, and 332 (90%) declared to accept its use as a screening measure for COVID-19 contacts. Regarding its affordability, clients perceived self-testing as an acceptable strategy following its accessibility, comfort of use, and quick results. The feasibility of self-testing requires instructional videos in local languages, and implementation should be done through community channels. All supervising healthcare workers perceived self-testing as an important tool for increasing testing accessibility, early diagnosis, reduction of overcrowding and COVID-19 infection risk in healthcare facilities.

Conclusions

COVID-19 self-testing is acceptable and feasible if provided with linguistically and culturally appropriate health education and instructions at an affordable price. Self-test delivery packages and systems should be developed that could be adapted to existing or future self-tests for infectious diseases or other non-communicable diseases.