{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T17:52:43Z","timestamp":1792086763942,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792022400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000070","name":"National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["3U54EB007958-15S1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["3U54EB007958-15S1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000070","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Point-of-care or near-point-of-care (POC\/near-POC) tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are often unavailable and unaffordable in low-resource settings, despite the World Health Organization\u2019s (WHO) recommendation that such testing be offered, leading to empiric treatment. Private community pharmacies (CPs) are often the first point of contact for people with symptoms of STIs, where pharmacists dispense treatment without diagnostic testing or prescriptions. This study evaluated clients,\u2019 providers,\u2019 and policymakers\u2019 perspectives on POC\/near-POC STI testing in community pharmacies for targeted management.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Between June and September 2022, we nested a qualitative study into a prospective cohort of clients seeking both STI and non-STI treatments in community pharmacies in Kampala and Wakiso districts in Uganda. They were tested for HIV, syphilis, trichomonas, chlamydia, and gonorrhea using POC\/near-POC tests. A purposive sample of 50 participants consented to participate in in-depth and key informant interviews. Data were analyzed thematically using NVivo version 14 with an inductive approach, with results reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Clients (n\u2009=\u200935), health care providers (n\u2009=\u20099), and policymakers (n\u2009=\u20096) described the benefits of POC\/near-POC tests for HIV\/STIs at community pharmacies, citing affordability, accessibility, and convenience. Participants noted that such testing could promote behavioral change, shorten turnaround time for results, speed access to treatment relative to conventional laboratory methods, and support sustainable antimicrobial resistance control. Reported barriers included limited awareness among clients and health workers, inadequate privacy and space, long waiting times, unclear self-sample collection instructions, stigma around HIV testing, and reluctance to test for non-HIV STIs. Participants recommended raising STI awareness, offering clearer explanations of test results, expanding test access, reducing stigma, provider training, and ensuring a sustainable supply chain for testing kits.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>POC\/near-POC testing for HIV\/STIs was highly acceptable to both pharmacy clients and providers in this study. Integrating such testing into community pharmacy settings could strengthen national HIV\/STI management programs, and addressing the identified barriers could improve access to HIV\/STI diagnostics and strengthen linkage to care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0347364","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T17:37:30Z","timestamp":1792085850000},"page":"e0347364","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Client, health care provider, and policymaker perspectives on point-of-care\/near-point-of-care testing for sexually transmitted infections in community pharmacies in Uganda"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6741-1512","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Annet A.","family":"Onzia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University","place":["Kampala, Uganda"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adelline","family":"Twimukye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University","place":["Kampala, Uganda"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Johan H.","family":"Melendez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine","place":["Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matthew M.","family":"Hamill","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine","place":["Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"Kyambadde","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health of Uganda, National STI Control Unit","place":["Kampala, Uganda"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Agnes","family":"Kiragga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"African Population and Health Research Center","place":["Kitisuru, Nairobi, Kenya"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yukari C.","family":"Manabe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine","place":["Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosalind","family":"Parkes-Ratanshi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University","place":["Kampala, Uganda"]},{"name":"Queen\u2019s University Belfast","place":["Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom"],"department":["Centre for Public Health"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0347364.ref001","unstructured":"WHO. Global progress report on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2021: Accountability for the global health sector strategies 2016\u20132021: Actions for impact: Web annex 2: Data methods. 2021."},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0347364.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1432","DOI":"10.1093\/infdis\/jiz442","article-title":"Refocusing research on sexually transmitted infections","volume":"222","author":"RW Eisinger","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Infect Dis"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref003","article-title":"Sexually transmitted infections and HIV in the era of antiretroviral treatment and prevention: The biologic basis for epidemiologic synergy","author":"MS Cohen","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Int AIDS Soc"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref004","article-title":"Diagnosing sexually transmitted infections in resource-constrained settings: Challenges and ways forward","volume":"22","author":"TE Wi","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Int AIDS Soc"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref005","article-title":"Point-of-care tests for STIs: The way forward","volume":"93","author":"I Toskin","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infect"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0347364.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"163","DOI":"10.1331\/JAPhA.2014.13167","article-title":"Point-of-care testing for infectious diseases: opportunities, barriers, and considerations in community pharmacy","volume":"54","author":"PO Gubbins","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Am Pharm Assoc (2003)"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0347364.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1071\/SH13047","article-title":"Point-of-care tests for sexually transmissible infections: What do \u201cend users\u201d want?","volume":"10","author":"AM Rompalo","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sex Health"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0347364.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0014144","article-title":"Perceptions of an ideal point-of-care test for sexually transmitted infections--a qualitative study of focus group discussions with medical providers","volume":"5","author":"Y-H Hsieh","year":"2010","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3946862","DOI":"10.1155\/2018\/3946862","article-title":"Acceptability and feasibility of integrating point-of-care diagnostic testing of sexually transmitted infections into a South African antenatal care program for HIV-infected pregnant women","volume":"2018","author":"E Morikawa","year":"2018","journal-title":"Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0347364.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.1097\/01.olq.0000204574.78135.9f","article-title":"Determinants of choosing public or private health care among patients with sexually transmitted infections in Uganda","volume":"33","author":"F Nuwaha","year":"2006","journal-title":"Sex Transm Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0347364.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2397691","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2024.2397691","article-title":"User experiences of selfcare interventions for sexual and reproductive health services in community pharmacies in Rwanda: A qualitative study","volume":"19","author":"S Ndayishimye","year":"2024","journal-title":"Glob Public Health"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0347364.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2020-047034","article-title":"Sexual and reproductive health services provided by community pharmacists: A scoping review","volume":"11","author":"J Navarrete","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref013","unstructured":"Licensed Outlets Statistics. 2025. Accessed 2026 February 24. https:\/\/www.nda.or.ug\/licensed-outlets-statistics\/"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0347364.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1186\/s13011-020-00261-x","article-title":"Compliance of private pharmacies in Uganda with controlled prescription drugs regulations: A mixed-methods study","volume":"15","author":"PF Kamba","year":"2020","journal-title":"Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0347364.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0001579","article-title":"Community purchases of antimicrobials during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda: An increased risk for antimicrobial resistance","volume":"3","author":"AN Kiragga","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLOS Glob Public Health"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0347364.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"771","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijantimicag.2018.09.022","article-title":"Non-prescription sales of antimicrobial agents at community pharmacies in developing countries: a systematic review","volume":"52","author":"MHF Sakeena","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Antimicrob Agents"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0347364.ref017","article-title":"The effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of HIV service delivery at private pharmacies in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review","volume":"25","author":"AP Kuo","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Int AIDS Soc"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0347364.ref018","article-title":"Stakeholder engagement to drive iterative software development of the ART-Access web-based application for community pharmacy dispensing of anti-retroviral therapy","volume":"11","author":"E Kyomugisha","year":"2023","journal-title":"Med Res Archiv J"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0347364.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"140","DOI":"10.1177\/003335491312800303","article-title":"Achieving pharmacy-based public health: a call for public health engagement","volume":"128","author":"BE Meyerson","year":"2013","journal-title":"Public Health Rep"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0347364.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0315191","article-title":"Community pharmacies: Key players in point-of-care diagnostics for STI screening in Africa","volume":"19","author":"AN Kiragga","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0347364.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.3821\/1913-701X-143.1.37","article-title":"Are pharmacists the ultimate barrier to pharmacy practice change?","volume":"143","author":"M Rosenthal","year":"2010","journal-title":"Canadian Pharmacists J"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref022","volume-title":"Uganda Clinical Guidelines 2023: National Guidelines for Management of Common Health Conditions","author":"UG MoH","year":"2023"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0347364.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0308923","article-title":"Effectiveness of interactive voice response-call for life mHealth tool on adherence to anti-retroviral therapy among young people living with HIV: A randomized trial in Uganda","volume":"19","author":"A Bwanika Naggirinya","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref024","volume-title":"Statistical abstract. Report No","author":"Uganda Bureau of Statistics","year":"2020"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-017-2031-8","article-title":"Acceptability of healthcare interventions: An overview of reviews and development of a theoretical framework","volume":"17","author":"M Sekhon","year":"2017","journal-title":"BMC Health Services Res"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1177\/16094069221147162","article-title":"Proposing the \u201cMIRACLE\u201d narrative framework for providing thick description in qualitative research","volume":"22","author":"A Younas","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Qual Methods"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0347364.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"349","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042","article-title":"Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): A 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups","volume":"19","author":"A Tong","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Qual Health Care"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0347364.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"561","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-022-07534-9","article-title":"Facilitators and barriers to point-of-care testing for sexually transmitted infections in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review","volume":"22","author":"K Martin","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0347364.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"667","DOI":"10.1093\/heapol\/czv116","article-title":"Perceptions, attitude and uptake of rapid syphilis testing services in antenatal clinics in North-Western Tanzania","volume":"31","author":"S Nnko","year":"2016","journal-title":"Health Policy Plan"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"550","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-015-1223-3","article-title":"Point-of-care testing in India: Missed opportunities to realize the true potential of point-of-care testing programs","volume":"15","author":"N Engel","year":"2015","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0347364.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2023-073241","article-title":"Self-collected samples as an additional option for STI testing in low-resource settings: A qualitative study of acceptability among adults in Rakai, Uganda","volume":"13","author":"YP Ogale","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0347364.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2024-056330","article-title":"Self-collected penile-meatal swabs are suitable for the detection of STIs in Ugandan men with high rates of STI coinfections","volume":"101","author":"JH Melendez","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infect"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0347364.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1136\/sti.2005.017319","article-title":"Risk reduction counselling for prevention of sexually transmitted infections: how it works and how to make it work","volume":"83","author":"CA Rietmeijer","year":"2007","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infect"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0347364.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1007\/s11904-024-00710-3","article-title":"Feasibility and impact of community pharmacy and novel pick-up points for antiretroviral therapy pre-exposure prophylaxis initiation and continuation in low and middle-income countries","volume":"22","author":"ST Lalla-Edward","year":"2024","journal-title":"Curr HIV\/AIDS Rep"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref035","first-page":"31","article-title":"Code of conduct for pharmacists in Uganda","volume-title":"Health","author":"PSO Uganda","year":"2014"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref036","article-title":"The South African community pharmacy sector\u2014an untapped reservoir for delivering HIV services","volume":"5","author":"T Nyamuzihwa","year":"2023"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12721","DOI":"10.3389\/jpps.2024.12721","article-title":"Community pharmacists as antimicrobial resistance stewards: A narrative review on their contributions and challenges in low- and middle-income countries","volume":"27","author":"R Raju","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Pharm Pharm Sci"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref038","article-title":"Point\u2010of\u2010care testing in community pharmacies to expand access to treatment for sexually transmitted infections","author":"AC Bernknopf","year":"2025","journal-title":"JotACoCP"},{"key":"pone.0347364.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.2196\/50357","article-title":"Experience of health care professionals using digital tools in the hospital: Qualitative systematic review","volume":"10","author":"M Wosny","year":"2023","journal-title":"JMIR Hum Factors"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0347364","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T17:37:37Z","timestamp":1792085857000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0347364"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Sylvia Maria","family":"Bruisten","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"GGD Amsterdam","place":["NETHERLANDS, KINGDOM OF THE"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0347364","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]}}}