Is self-testing the next paradigm for diagnostics?

Abstract

The study estimates the usability and attitude assessment of users for India’s first approved rapid antigen self-test kit; the CoviSelf™. India approved its first AI-powered self-test for Covid-19 in April 2021 a few weeks after the first approval in the US. We present here a study on usability and attitude assessment of users of India’s first approved rapid antigen self-test kit; the CoviSelf™. The study evaluates participants’ understanding of and performance of test procedure and interprets the results. Analysis revealed that more than 90% study participants followed steps correctly as illustrated in the user’s manual. Age group and gender-based analysis showed comparable scores for usability of the test kit suggesting users of different age groups has same ease in using the test kit. What we learnt from this study could be start of self-test revolution, where rapid tests could expand the access of diagnostics for hundreds of diseases including HIV, HPV, and dengue to millions of people who could not get access to diagnostics because we lacked manpower or facility to conduct tests. Self-testing could break the barriers for diagnostics that Internet did for information.