HIV testing and counselling experiences: a qualitative study of older adults living with HIV in western Kenya
Individual and partner characteristics associated with HIV testing and counseling uptake among individuals 50 years or older in Tanzania
“I was referred from the other side”: gender and HIV testing among older South Africans living with HIV
Knowledge and utilization of voluntary counselling and testing services for HIV by older adults (50 years and over) in Botswana
Prevalence and determinants of recent HIV testing among older persons in rural Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Database search or reference list
Database
Database
Database
Reference list
Reference list
Country
Kenya
Tanzania
South Africa
Botswana
Uganda
Urban/rural?
Both
Rural
Urban
Both
Rural
Number of participants
57
600
Not stated
609
649
Number of female participants
27
289
10
371
334
Number of male participants
30
311
Exact number not stated. However, it is mentioned that the number is similar to the number of women
238
315
Methodology
Qualitative
Quantitative
Qualitative
Quantitative
Mixed methods (but chose only to report the quantitative findings)
Study design
Cross-sectional
Cross-sectional
Cross-sectional
Cross-sectional
Cross-sectional
Participant characteristics
HIV-infected men and women aged ≥50 years at the time of HIV care enrollment and receiving care, currently in care at two participating outpatient HIV clinics (one urban and one rural), had been followed up for at least 1 year
Older years of age
Women and men aged 50 and over who are living with HIV from two urban townships outside of Cape Town
Older people (≥50 years) living in four purposively sampled districts in Botswana
Older men and women age 50 years and older, from central (Masaka district) and western (Hoima district) Uganda
Recruitment
Participants who were currently in care were selected from one urban and one rural facility
Analysis of data from a prior cross-sectional survey followed by multistage sampling where individuals aged 50 years and older were randomly selected from village registers and then visited at their home and invited to participate
Participants were recruited through nonprobability sampling methods, making connections through a survey list from a local NCD research project, as well as convenience sampling and referrals by health workers at HIV clinics
Respondent-driven sampling (RDS)
Multistage stratified cluster sampling design
Data collection methods
In-depth interviews, focus group discussions
Surveys, HIV testing to determine status
In-depth interviews, key informant interviews
Questionnaire administered through in-person interviews
Focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, survey results
Data analysis methods
Thematic content analysis
Logistic regression
Grounded theory to specify emerging themes
Binary logistic regression
Frequency distributions, chi-squared tests, and multivariable logistic regression
Sex differences in testing
Male participants unanimously expressed the need to have a male provider who can discuss male-related sexual issues which were considered “private,” including erection difficulties and sexually transmitted diseases. In addition to wanting a provider of the same gender, female participants also expressed wanting a provider of a similar age to them
Being male was associated with lower odds of HTC uptake (, 95% CI 0.3-0.7). Female gender was associated with increased HTC uptake
Nearly all of the women were tested for HIV while undergoing ongoing care for another chronic condition, and most women were tested after a provider suggested they do so. In comparison, men were most often tested as a result of their wives being tested first which prompted them to get tested. In addition, men also were tested for HIV along with TB when they came to a clinic for coughing or other TB-related symptoms
Of those who had participated in the VCT programme (55 males and 60 females), more males (78.2%) than females (70%) found the programme very helpful; females are less likely to take an HIV test than males (); females are as likely to use the VCT services as the males ()
Sex was not significantly associated with HIV testing in the 12 months prior to the study
