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Abstract:
Sexually transmissible infection (STI) and HIV point-of-care tests (otherwise known as rapid tests) can be used at patient visits to test for STIs and HIV, rather than sending off a sample to the laboratory and waiting for the results. Point-of-care tests provide advantages. They can: improve immediate clinical decision making; result in better compliance for hard to reach patients; reduce loss to follow-up; and be used for outreach, and remove pathology access barriers in some remote or rural settings. There are also some potential challenges of using point-of-care tests: They may increase workload for clinicians; They may not be as accurate as standard laboratory tests; and They require systems to be set up to ensure the tests are being done correctly – quality management. While lateral flow or ‘dipstick’ devices similar to pregnancy tests are the most familiar point-of-care tests, a range of other tests are also available that can be used at the point of care. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) ‘ASSURED’ criteria,1 an ideal point-ofcare test should be: affordable sensitive (few false negatives) specific (few false positives) user-friendly robust and rapid equipment free deliverable to those who need them. Thus, introduction of HIV and sexually transmissible infection (STI) point-of-care tests in any setting needs careful consideration of the potential benefits in the target population. In this article we discuss the role of HIV and STI point-of-care tests in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
