HIV diagnostic implementation in the Dominican Republic: an in-depth qualitative context analysis for health technology developers

Employing qualitative methods to investigate a bioengineering challenge yielded rich data on the sociotechnical implementation context of HIV diagnostics in the DR. Several context-relevant suggestions were developed for HIV diagnostic developers which include incorporating psychological support into the diagnosis workflow, delivering information in multiple languages (ie, Haitian Creole and Spanish) and with non-stigmatising phrasing, working with the public sector to develop and implement technologies, and reducing the supply chain reliance on high-income countries to lessen delays in care. These findings can apply to other types of health technologies and settings and demonstrate the importance of utilizing human-centered design to understand implementation context and promote global health equity in health technology development and adoption.