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Table 2 Concerns related to scaling-up of HIVST

From: Co-creation of HIVST delivery approaches for improving urban men’s engagement with HIV services in eThekwini District, KwaZulu-Natal: nominal group technique in intervention development

Concern

Key stakeholder’ perspectives

Data availability

‘The major issue is that usage of the HIV test kits as we cannot have proof of the results. All depend on the client to say whether or not they have used it. No data on how many negative or positive clients use tested and how many confirmed test results. It is hard to get this information, except to say how many self-screening kits were distributed. This is similar to condoms, as we see the number of sexually transmitted diseases increase while the number of condom distribution increases.’

Adequacy of pre- and post-testing counselling

‘We can broadcast a lot of places and strategies for men to access HIVST but what happens when a person is tested without proper counselling, I think we should introduce a lot of information before scaling up HIVST.’

Patients’ reactions to positive test results

‘I don't believe that self-testing will work because we are going to experience more suicides. There will also be an issue with anger, if he finds out on his own and this could lead to more cases of rape and abuse. This will be the start of a fire that will not be stopped. It’s dangerous, I am speaking from a point of view as I am 12 years diagnosed HIV positive and I deal with HIV positive men and women on a daily basis.’