Table 1.
Characteristics of eligible studies.
| Author | Publication year | Project year | Study design | Population | Setting | Provides HIVSTa kits | Fee for testing kits | Ways of supply | Quality score |
| Qi [19] | 2013 | 2011-2012 | Cohort | MSMb with HIV-negative status | Beijing | Yes | Free | On-site | 8 |
| Han et al [20] | 2014 | 2013 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong and Chongqing | No | N/Ac | N/A | 7 |
| Tao et al [21] | 2014 | 2012 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-negative or unknown status | National | Yes | US $10 deposit | Postal | 7 |
| Wong et al [13] | 2015 | 2013 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Hong Kong | No | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Yan et al [14] | 2015 | 2013-2014 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV uninfected or unknown status | Jiangsu | No | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Zhong et al [22] | 2017 | 2015 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong | Yes | US $23 deposit | Postal | 4 |
| Qin et al [23] | 2017 | 2015 | Cross-sectional | MSM | National | No | N/A | N/A | 9 |
| Ren et al [24] | 2017 | 2016 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-negative or unknown status having ever taken an HIV self-test | Beijing | No | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Ren et al [15] | 2017 | 2016 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-negative or unknown status | Beijing | No | N/A | N/A | 7 |
| Zhou et al [25] | 2017 | 2016-2017 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong | Yes | ¥100 (US $13.94) deposit | Postal | 6 |
| Jin et al [26] | 2017 | 2015-2016 | Cross-sectional | MSM never tested for HIV | Unknown | Yes | Free | Postal | 6 |
| Jin [27] | 2017 | 2016 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-positive status | Guangdong | No | N/A | N/A | 5 |
| Tang et al [28] | 2018 | 2016 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong and Shandong | No | N/A | N/A | 9 |
| Tang et al [29] | 2018 | 2016-2017 | RCTd | MSM HIV-negative or unknown status | Guangdong or Shandong | Yes | Free | Postal | 8 |
| Wei et al [30] | 2018 | 2017 | Qualitative participant observation study | MSM who self-report being HIV negative or unknown status | Jiangsu | Yes | Free | On-site | 6 |
| Wei et al [31] | 2018 | 2017 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-negative status | Jiangsu | No | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Xue [32] | 2018 | Unknown | Cross-sectional | MSM who self-report being HIV negative or unknown status | Guangdong and Shandong | No | N/A | N/A | 4 |
| Cheng et al [33] | 2019 | Unknown | RCT | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 6 |
| Fan et al [34] | 2019 | 2017-2018 | Cross-sectional | Students at 5 universities | Sichuan | Yes | Unknown | Postal or on-site | 6 |
| Tang et al [35] | 2019 | 2016-2017 | Cohort | MSM who self-report being HIV negative or unknown status | Guangdong and Shandong | No | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Wei et al [36] | 2019 | 2015-2017 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong | No | N/A | N/A | 9 |
| Jin et al [37] | 2019 | 2017 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-negative or unknown status | 14 provinces in China | Yes | A US $5 deposit and a nonrefundable shipping fee of US $2 to US $3 | Postal | 6 |
| Yang et al [38] | 2019 | Unknown | Cross-sectional | MSM who have ever tested for HIV | Nationwide | No | N/A | N/A | 5 |
| Zhu [39] | 2019 | Unknown | RCT | HIV-negative MSM | Anhui | Yes | Free | Postal or on-site | 7 |
| Mao [40] | 2019 | 2017-2018 | Cross-sectional | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | ¥50 (US $6.97) deposit | Unknown | 8 |
| Zhao [41] | 2019 | 2018-2019 | Cohort | HIV-negative MSM | Anhui | Yes | Free | On-site | 6 |
| Liu et al [16] | 2020 | 2017 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV uninfected or unknown status | Chongqing | Yes | Free | On-site | 9 |
| Luo et al [42] | 2020 | 2014-2016 | Cross-sectional | Traceable sexual partners of newly diagnosed HIV-positive MSM | Zhejiang | Yes | Free | Sexual partners | 7 |
| Wang et al [43] | 2020 | 2019 | Cross-sectional | Female sex workers | 7 provinces in China | No | N/A | N/A | 9 |
| Zhang et al [44] | 2020 | 2018 | Cross-sectional | MSM | National | Yes | Free | Postal or on-site | 7 |
| Luo et al [45] | 2020 | 2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-negative or unknown status | National | No | N/A | N/A | 7 |
| Zhao [46] | 2020 | 2017-2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM | National | Yes | ¥50 (US $6.97) deposit | Postal | 7 |
| Huang et al [47] | 2020 | 2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong | Yes | Unknown | Postal | 7 |
| Chan et al [48] | 2021 | 2017 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Hong Kong | Yes | Free | Postal or on-site | 6 |
| Cheng et al [49] | 2021 | 2016 | RCT | HIV-negative MSM | Guangdong | No | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Hong et al [50] | 2021 | 2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Zhejiang | No | N/A | N/A | 8 |
| Lau et al [51] | 2021 | Before 2018 (unknown) | Cross-sectional | Male clients of female sex workers | Hong Kong | No | N/A | N/A | 7 |
| Li et al [52] | 2021 | 2020 | Cross-sectional | MSM who have ever tested for HIV | Jiangsu | No | N/A | N/A | 7 |
| Li et al [53] | 2021 | 2017-2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM | National | Yes | US $7 deposit | Postal or partner distribution | 8 |
| Ni et al [54] | 2021 | 2019-2020 | RCT | MSM | Unknown | Yes | US $15 deposit | Postal or partner distribution | 3 |
| Wu et al [55] | 2021 | 2018-2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong | Yes | US $15 deposit | Postal or partner distribution | 6 |
| Shan et al [56] | 2021 | 2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Beijing | No | N/A | N/A | 5 |
| Wu et al [57] | 2021 | 2013,2014,2015, 2016,2018 | Cross-sectional | MSM | National | No | N/A | N/A | 3 |
| Zhou et al [58] | 2021 | 2017-2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Guangdong | Yes | ¥100 (US $13.94) deposit | Postal or partner distribution | 6 |
| Li et al [59] | 2021 | 2020 | Cross-sectional | MSM | Beijing | Yes | Unknown | Postal | 6 |
| Chu [60] | 2021 | 2018 | RCT | HIV-negative MSM | National | Yes | Free | Postal | 5 |
| Zhao et al [61] | 2021 | 2019 | RCT | MSM without syphilis or unknown status | National | Yes | Free | Postal | 5 |
| Jin et al [62] | 2021 | 2018-2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM with HIV-negative status | 4 provinces in China | No | N/A | N/A | 6 |
| Bao et al [63] | 2021 | 2018-2019 | Cross-sectional | MSM who self-report being HIV negative or unknown status | Shanghai | No | N/A | N/A | 6 |
| Bao et al [64] | 2021 | 2019-2020 | Cross-sectional | MSM who self-report being HIV negative or unknown status | Shanghai | No | N/A | N/A | 6 |
aHIVST: HIV self-testing.
bMSM: men who have sex with men.
cN/A: not applicable.
dRCT: randomized controlled trial.