Table 2.

Themes and key issues on the motivations for and barriers to couples’ HIV counselling and testing in Rakai, Uganda

Theme	Issue
1.0 Motivations for couples’ HIV counselling and testing	1.1 Know each other's HIV status 1.2 Linkage to HIV care and identification of treatment reminders 1.3 Reducing mistrust and improving marital relationships 1.4 Planning for the future of family and/or children 1.5 Couples tested together can live happier and healthier lives
2.0 Barriers to couples’ HIV counselling and testing	2.1 Fear of receiving concordant HIV-positive or HIV-discordant results 2.2 Fear of marital violence or dissolution 2.3 Fear that couples’ HCT could expose hidden infidelity 2.4 Fear of being ashamed before one's partner in the event of an HIV-positive status 2.5 Urge by one or both partners to hide HIV status from each other 2.6 Lack of trust/misunderstandings in the home 2.7 Men's reluctance/refusal to test for HIV together with their partners 2.8 Conflicting schedules between men and women
3.0 Decision-making process and experiences from tested couples	3.1 Partner tested alone initially before inviting the other partner to test together 3.2 Initial resistance from invited partner 3.3 HIV-negative partners in HIV-discordant relationships were initially disturbed by the sero-positive status of their partners 3.4 Enriching and fulfilling experiences for concordant HIV-negative partners
4.0 Suggestions for improving couples’ HIV testing	4.1 Hold couple-specific meetings to sensitize couples on the benefits of couples’ HIV testing 4.2 Send invitation letters to couples 4.3 Promote couples’ HCT by going to people's homes 4.4 Use religious leaders to sensitize their flock about couples’ HCT 4.5 Provide preferential treatment to couples when they come to test for HIV together 4.6 Use expert couples, i.e., couples that have ever tested together to motivate others to test for HIV together