Table 3.

Emerging themes on oral fluid-based HIV testing and implications for programming and research

Issue/coding concept	Major themes	Minor themes	Implications for programmes and research
Understanding self-testing the procedure	Clarity of test instructions	Literacy levels	Catering for illiterate populations may require adjusting instructions (e.g. using pictorials)
Acceptance and performance of the test	Time-efficiency Non-invasiveness	Availability of self-test kits outside of the hospital	Some participants could not wait for the required 20 minutes to read the results. Research is needed to understand how this could affect large programmes
	Convenience	Painless
Interpreting the result	Clarity of instructions	Visual aids	Interventions focusing on invalid and other incorrect results without compromising confidentiality are needed
Barriers to and fear of self-testing	Fear of incorrect results		Emphasis that oral testing is a screening test that requires confirmation is critical for increasing uptake