Health care users’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of HIV self-testing at selected gateway clinics at eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic information of respondents n = 442.

Gender
Male	30.1%
Female	68.8%
Unspecified	1.1%
Age
18–29	42.5%
30–39	22.9%
40–49	15.2%
50–59	6.1%
60+	4.1%
Unspecified	9.3%
Language
IsiZulu	73.3%
English	13.1%
isiXhosa	8.8*
Other	4.8%
Religion
Christian	76.5%
Hindu	4.1%
Muslim	3.8%
Nazareth	13.3%
Other	3.7%
Education
Some/all primary school	10.0%
Some/all high school	60.2%
Tertiary education	29.6%
Missing system	.2%
Occupation
At school	7.5%
Student	18.8%
Working	41.6%
Unemployed	39.6%
Marital status
Single	62.2%
Partnered	12.4%
Widowed	6.1%
Married	16.5%
Divorce/separated	2.7%
Residence
Rural	14.0%
Urban	27.4%
Township	46.4%
Informal settlement	8.4%
Peri-urban	3.8%

Table 2. Health care users’ knowledge of HIVST n = 442.

									Yes	No	Not sure
I have heard about HIVST									69.5%	25.1%	5.4%
I have seen an HIVST									23.5%	65.6%	10.2%
I have used an HIVST									18.8%	73.3%	7.7%
I have read about HIVST									42.8%	49.8%	7.5%
It is legal to use HIVST kits in South Africa									35.3%	29.4%	35.3%
HIVST are available from private pharmacies									41.0%	20.1%	38.2%
HIVST kits are available in government clinics/hospitals									30.8%	31.9%	37.1%
HIVST kits are available on the internet									31.2%	23.3%	45.0%
HIVST is done using blood									63.8%	9.3%	26.7%
HIVST is done using fluid from the mouth									18.1%	40.7%	41.2%
A person can perform the HIVST on herself/himself									68.1%	17.2%	14.7%
It takes 20–40 minutes to get results from the HIVST									26.0%	17.0%	57.0%
The test can be negative if the HIV infection is less than three months									37.3%	17.0%	44.8%
A person needs to re-test after three months if the test is negative									71.9%	9.5%	18.1%
There is a telephone hotline to call should the test be positive									31.0%	19.9%	48.9%
A person needs to be counselled by the HIV counsellor before taking the HIV self-test									66.1%	17.4%	16.3%

Table 3. Attitudes towards HIVST and linkage to care n = 442.

	Yes	No
HIVST is a good idea	66%	40.0%
I can be able to do an HIVST at home	69.2%	22.4%
I think I would find the HIV self-testing procedure difficult to perform	25.3%	54.3%
I would prefer to self-test alone	65.6%	23.9%
I would prefer to self-test at the health facility	46.4%	34.4%
I would prefer to self-test with partner	59.3%	26.5%
I would prefer to self-test and read the results myself	67.2%	19.9%
I would like to get telephone counselling before the HIVST	53.6%	28.7%
I would seek help from the clinic should the test be positive	79.9%	9.7%
I would like to get face to face counselling after the test	77.4%	10.4%
It is important to follow up an HIV positive result at the clinic	83.9%	5.9%
It is important to get counselling after the test	82.5%	7.7%

Table 4. Attitudes and perceptions of health care users towards HIV self-testing and HIV positive status disclosure.

	Yes
HIV positive test should be a total secret	53.4%
HIV positive people should tell their sex partner only	55.9%
HIV positive people should inform all significant others	55.9%
HIV positive people should talk openly about it	67.2%
Privacy is ensured	66.8%
Less time is spent in clinics and hospitals	65.6%
More people can know their status	81.2%
People who are scared to go to the clinics can test at home	77.1%
People can get ARVs before they can get sicker	74.9%
There could be less transmission of HIV to other people	77.4%
People could be tested more frequently	80.8%
People could read/interpret results incorrectly	61.5%
People may not be able to read instructions properly	62.5%
People could intentionally infect others if not properly counselled before the test	44.2%
Children and workers could be tested against their will	54.6%
Family members could be tested against their will, which could result in abuse	50.0%
People could blame others should they test positive	44.2%
Should a person who has not received counselling test positive, he/she may commit suicide	63.8%
If not properly regulated by government, unreliable test kits could be sold thus giving wrong results	67.2%