Table 1 Characteristics of selected papers

Castle, 2003 [28]

Mali

Urban

Men & women 20–34 yrs; Young people 17–24 yrs

Qualitative

To assess attitude towards HIV with a view to setting up VCT services.

Pool, 2001 [29]

Uganda

Rural

Women antenatal care attendees

Qualitative

To explore attitudes to VCT among women attending antenatal care.

Daftary, 2007 [30]

South Africa

Urban

In-patient with TB

Qualitative

To explore decision making processes for HIV testing and disclosure by TB patients.

Maman, 2001 [31]

Tanzania

Urban

Men, women, Couples

Qualitative

To explore individual, relational and

environmental factors influencing HIV testing decision & disclosure of status to partners.

Mabunda, 2006 [32]

South Africa

Rural

Men and women ≥ 18yrs

Qualitative

To identify themes related to VCT services in rural South Africa.

Angotti, 2009 [33]

Malawi

Rural

Married women & men 15–49 yrs; Married & unmarried adolescents 15–24 yrs

Qualitative

To examine the acceptability of HIV testing in 3 rural districts.

MacPhail, 2008 [34]

South Africa

Urban

Adolescents 12–24 yrs; parent

Qualitative

To establish the perceptions of and needs for VCT among young people.

Mlay, 2008 [35]

Tanzania

Urban

Women 18–49 yrs; Men 20–75 yrs

Qualitative

To gain insight into the views of counsellors men and women on VCT for couples.

Izugbara, 2009 [36]

Malawi & Uganda

Rural/Urban

Male youths 14–19 yrs

Qualitative

To offer youth-centred perspectives & masculinity as they relate to HIV services, including VCT.

Grant, 2008 [37]

Zambia

Urban

People living with HIV

Qualitative

To examine what factors affect a person’s decision to seek testing and then start and stop treatment.

Denison, 2008 [38]

Zambia

Urban

Adolescents 16–19 yrs

Qualitative

Explore how adolescents involve their families, friends, sex partner about VCT & disclosure of status.

Oshi, 2007 [39]

Nigeria

Urban

University Students

Qualitative

To investigate if self-perception of risk of HIV infection causes Nigeria youths to reduce risky sexual behaviour & seek VCT.

Meiberg, 2008 [40]

South Africa

Urban

University Students

Qualitative

To identify psychosocial correlates of HIV voluntary counselling & testing.

Groves, 2010 [41]

South Africa

Urban

Women at antenatal clinic

Qualitative

To explore women’s experiences with HIV testing & the consent process in a public antenatal clinic.

Råssjö, 2009 [42]

Uganda

Urban

Young men & women

Qualitative

Attitude to VCT among young men & women in a slum area of Kampala, Uganda.

Chirawu, 2010 [43]

Zimbabwe

Rural

Men and women ≥ 18yrs

Mixed methods

To examine the acceptability & feasibility of providing client-initiated VCT in health facilities & research-initiated VCT in a non-clinic setting.

De Paoli, 2004 [44]

Tanzania

Rural

Women at antenatal clinic

Mixed methods

To identify factors associated with pregnant women’s willingness to accept VCT.

Ayenew, 2010 [45]

Ethiopia

Not stated

Patient with TB; Nurse counsellors

Mixed methods

To assess predictors of HIV testing among TB patients.

Namakhoma, 2010 [46]

Malawi

Urban & Rural

Health Workers

Mixed methods

To explore the enablers and access barriers to HIV-VCT & ART by health workers in Malawi.

Urassa, 2005 [47]

Tanzania

Not Stated

Women 15–45 yrs old

Mixed methods

To identify risk factors for preferring to avoid HIV testing among women attending antenatal care.

Obermeyer, 2009 [48]

Burkina Faso

Urban & rural

Men & women

Mixed methods

To investigate the utilization of services around HIV testing.

Bhagwanjee, 2008 [49]

South Africa

Not stated

Mine employees

Qualitative

To understand users’ perceptions of VCT & HIV treatment services offered by a mining company.

Luginaah, 2005 [50]

Ghana

Not stated

Pastors, Marriage counsellors, men & women

Qualitative

To examine efforts by some men & women churches in Ghana to reduce the spread of HIV through HIV-VCT.

Taegtmeyer, 2006 [51]

Kenya

Urban & rural

Men & women

Mixed methods

To better understand the reasons behind gender differences in Kenyan VCT sites.

Larson, 2010 [52]

Uganda

Urban

Men

Qualitative

To explore men’s views on and experiences of couple HIV testing during antenatal care.

Varga, 2008 [53]

South Africa

Urban & rural

adolescent mothers 15–19 yrs old

Qualitative

To examine barriers to HIV testing uptake & participation in PMTCT services.

Sherr, 2003 [54]

South Africa

Urban & rural

Health staff & women

Qualitative

To establish the attitude of clinic staff & pregnant women to routine HIV testing & counselling.

Simpson, 2010 [55]

Zambia

Urban & rural

Cohort of school boys

Qualitative

To describe masculinity, religious ideas & response to VCT among a cohort of catholic boys.

Nuwaha, 2002 [56]

Tanzania

Urban & rural

Men & women

Mixed methods

To understand factors influencing choice of VCT.

Theuring, 2009 [57]

Tanzania

Rural

Men of reproductive age

Mixed methods

To assess male attitude regarding partner involvement in ANC and PMTCT services.

Mbonye, 2010 [58]

Uganda

Rural

Women, Men & adolescents Local leaders & health workers

Mixed methods

To understand care-seeking practices and barriers to PMCT services.

Levy, 2009 [59]

Malawi

Urban

HIV-positive women; PMTCT programme managers; policy makers; health workers

Qualitative

To examine women’s decisions about HIV testing & experiences of PMTCT & HIV-related care.

Bwambale, 2008 [60]

Uganda

Rural

Men & women aged ≥18 years; CHWs; NGO health workers

Mixed methods

To determine the prevalence and factors associated with VCT use amongst men.

Frank, 2009 [61]

Zambia

Rural

Women and men with HIV; village leaders; health workers

Qualitative

To determine if community structures and livelihood strategies were changing to mitigate the impact of the HIV epidemic.

Larson, 2012 [62]

Uganda

Rural

Pregnant women at ANC

Qualitative

To explore pregnant women experiences of opt-out HIV testing.

Dye, 2011 [63]

Kenya

Rural

Men & women in the community

Qualitative

To ascertain motivational & experiential dimensions of participation in rapid integrated prevention campaigns.

Roura, 2009 [64]

Tanzania

Rural

Community leaders, ART users, Health workers

Qualitative

To investigate the effects of ART scale up on stigma & HIV testing in rural Tanzania.

Day, 2003 [65]

South Africa

Urban & rural

Mine workers

Mixed methods

To identify the attitude influencing uptake of VCT among Gold mine workers in South Africa.

Phakathi, 2011 [66]

South Africa

Rural

Community members

Qualitative

To examine the influence of ART on willingness to test for HIV in a rural community.

Skovdal, 2011 [67]

Zimbabwe

Rural

ART users, Health workers, care givers of children on ART

Qualitative

To examine how local construction of masculinity impact on men’s use of HIV services.

Njozing, 2010 [68]

Cameroon

Not stated

TB Patients

Qualitative

To explore the barriers and barriers to HIV testing among TB patients.

Jürgensen 2012 [69]

Zambia

Urban & rural

Community members & VCT counsellors

Qualitative

To explore local meaning attached client initiated HIV testing in rural & urban setting of Zambia.