Employers' views of the 'Healthy Hub Roadshow': a workplace HIV testing intervention in England

Blake, Holly; Hussain, Basharat; Hand, Jenny; Juma, Amdani; Evans, Catrin

Abstract

We explored employer uptake and perceptions of workplace HIV testing delivered to employees as part of Healthy Hub Roadshow, a multi-component general health check. Intervention included health checks with tailored advice delivered to 776 employees at 20 events hosted by 11 different workplaces (29 approached, 38% employer uptake). Delivery partners were third sector organisations with significant expertise in HIV testing and support. Health checks included optional HIV test (using 4th generation Insti finger prick rapid tests), Body Mass Index (BMI), blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Mixed-methods evaluation included post-event online survey and qualitative interviews with participating employers. Declining employers were invited to complete an online feedback survey.

Workplace HIV testing was positively received by all participating organisations, although 78% (14/18) of declining organisations did not provide their reasons for non-participation. Factors of importance to employers included the perceived trustworthiness of delivery partners, being able to provide engaging opportunities for employee health, offering HIV testing as part of a wider health check, and having visible top-level managerial support. Concerns about hosting the events were rare and related to having limited budgets for future events, and the potential loss of productivity related to attendance during work time. Employers indicated that they would not actively seek out workplace HIV testing as part of health promotion efforts, but they were highly receptive to its inclusion in workplace health and wellbeing provision by credible external delivery partners.

In conclusion, workplaces are an untapped arena for HIV awareness raising and testing in the UK. Employers should be encouraged and supported to offer opt-in HIV testing as part of a wider workplace health and wellbeing provision for employees.

Citation

Blake, H., Hussain, B., Hand, J., Juma, A., & Evans, C. (2018). Employers' views of the 'Healthy Hub Roadshow': a workplace HIV testing intervention in England. AIDS Care, 31(2), 181-185. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2018.1500010

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 10, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 20, 2018
• Publication Date: Jul 20, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 11, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 21, 2019
• Journal: AIDS Care
• Print ISSN: 0954-0121
• Electronic ISSN: 1360-0451
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 181-185
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2018.1500010
• Keywords: HIV testing; Workplace; Workplace health; Employers; Health check
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/947360
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09540121.2018.1500010?journalCode=caic20
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in AIDS Care on 20 July 2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09540121.2018.1500010
• Contract Date: Jul 11, 2018