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Employee perceptions of a workplace HIV testing intervention

Holly Blake (School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK) (NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK)
Basharat Hussain (School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK)
Jenny Hand (Reaching People, Leicester, UK)
David Rowlands (DR-web.co.uk, Leicester, UK)
Amdani Juma (African Institute for Social Development (AISD), Nottingham, UK)
Catrin Evans (School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK)

International Journal of Workplace Health Management

ISSN: 1753-8351

Article publication date: 8 October 2018

Issue publication date: 11 October 2018

175

Abstract

Purpose

There is a need to increase access to HIV testing in the UK in male migrant communities. The purpose of this paper is to assess the uptake and acceptability of a workplace HIV testing intervention aimed at increasing access to testing in non-clinical settings.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 20 health check events were delivered at 11 UK organisations employing male migrant workers. Intervention included HIV testing, cholesterol, BMI, blood glucose, blood pressure; tailored health advice; take-away resources; optional post-event text reminders about HIV and general health. Mixed-methods evaluation included exit questionnaires (n=771), follow-up text messages (n=465) and qualitative interviews (n=35) to assess event acceptability. Qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Findings

Attendees were 776 employees from 50 countries (51 per cent male; 30 per cent migrant workers). A total of 52 per cent of attendees undertook an HIV test (75 per cent were first-time testers). In total, 96 per cent considered HIV testing to be an acceptable element of workplace health checks; 79 per cent reported new health-related knowledge; 60 per cent of attendees opted for follow-up text messaging; 26 per cent of text respondents reported independently taking HIV test post-event. High acceptability and uptake of HIV testing was associated with convenience, opportunity taking (through removal of deliberation and intentional test-seeking), and normalisation of HIV testing within a general health check.

Originality/value

This study is the first to demonstrate that opt-in HIV testing can be successfully delivered in the workplace within a multi-component health check. The workplace is an effective means of increasing access to HIV testing in groups at risk for HIV, including male migrant workers.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Holly Blake and Catrin Evans designed the evaluation, Jenny Hand co-ordinated the intervention, Amdani Juma supported intervention delivery, Basharat Hussain and David Rowlands collected the data. Holly Blake and Basharat Hussain drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the analysis and interpretation of the data. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript. This work was supported by a grant from the Public Health England (PHE) HIV Prevention Innovation Fund. PHE had no involvement in the study design, conduct or interpretation of findings. The Healthy Hub Roadshow was co-ordinated by Jenny Hand, CEO of Leicestershire Aids Support Service (LASS) at the time of the study. The intervention was organised and delivered by Jacqui Tillyard through Well for Living, with support from Katie Turner, STaSS, Sunrise Family Support, designre-defined.co.uk, Well for Life, African Institute for Social Development (AISD) and Embrace Life Luton.

Citation

Blake, H., Hussain, B., Hand, J., Rowlands, D., Juma, A. and Evans, C. (2018), "Employee perceptions of a workplace HIV testing intervention", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 333-348. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-03-2018-0030

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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