Identified attributes of STI testing services – service factors
| Service factors4–12 20 21 26–76 | ||
| Attribute | Themes from the studies* | No. of studies (%) |
| Provision of services | Online testing service (+)20 40 43 62 | 4 (6) |
| Self-testing (+)10 28 35 36 40 46 70 72 76 | 9 (14) | |
| Self-testing (–)6 10 20 32 39 44 74 75 | 8 (13) | |
| Postal service (+)8 70 | 2 (3) | |
| General practice (+)6 33 34 42 46 48 59 66 69 | 9 (14) | |
| Family planning (+)9 59 | 2 (3) | |
| Family planning (–)7 | 1 (2) | |
| Student health service (+)9 46 51 55 | 4 (6) | |
| Pharmacy/non-healthcare setting (+)37 72 | 2 (3) | |
| Pharmacy/non-healthcare setting (–)7 33 46 | 3 (5) | |
| In person consultations (–)20 40 72 | 3 (5) | |
| Express service (+)75 | 1 (2) | |
| Hotline (+)49 | 1 (2) | |
| Phone application (–)40 | 1 (2) | |
| Use of apps/internet (+)26 60 | 2 (3) | |
| Ease of access | Location of health service/mobile testing (+)7 9 10 31 34 48 52 56 61 75 | 10 (16) |
| Location of health service/mobile testing (–)9 | 1 (2) | |
| Appointment system (+)40 51–53 56 | 5 (8) | |
| Appointment system (–)4 6 34 62 75 | 5 (8) | |
| Walk-in service (+)37 42 52 56 | 4 (6) | |
| Flexible opening hours (+)40 41 58 61 | 4 (6) | |
| Restricted opening times (–)31 | 1 (2) | |
| Waiting times (–)4 12 44 50 52 | 5 (8) | |
| Separate location for pathology (–)4 | 1 (2) | |
| Stigmatising features | Service revealing sexual activity (–)5–8 11 12 41 43 44 75 | 9 (14) |
| Fear of parents finding out (–)6 8 10 44 52 65 | 6 (10) | |
| Fear of judgement from tester (–)12 66 | 2 (3) | |
| Privacy, confidentiality and anonymity | Privacy/anonymity when testing + receiving results (+)7 20 28 40 44 48 52 56 57 61 62 75 | 12 (19) |
| Privacy/anonymity when testing + receiving results (–)5 9 10 41 54 | 5 (8) | |
| Confidentiality (+)20 31 38 42 44 51 54 70 | 8 (13) | |
| Concerns about confidentiality (–)4–6 8 10 12 43 55 56 71 | 10 (16) | |
| Providing personal information online/data security (–)47 57 | 2 (3) | |
| No Medicare card (government healthcare card) or ID (+)8 61 | 2 (3) | |
| Non-specialist setting (+)12 20 | 2 (3) | |
| ePrescription/postage of treatment (–)20 | 1 (2) | |
| Testing features | Self-testing (+)10 28 35 36 40 46 70 72 | 8 (13) |
| Self-testing (–)6 10 20 32 39 44 74 75 | 8 (13) | |
| Self-collection (+)4 35 36 68 71 73 | 6 (10) | |
| Accuracy | High accuracy (+)10 36 40 | 3 (5) |
| Accuracy>speed of processing (+)40 | 1 (2) | |
| Accuracy>convenience of sample collection (+)10 29 | 2 (3) | |
| Concerns about accuracy of self-testing/rapid testing (–)10 28 29 32 39 74 75 | 7 (11) | |
| Cost | Free/low cost (+)4 7 20 21 28 41 44 56 61 67 68 72 | 12 (19) |
| Cost (–)8 9 38 39 46 65 75 | 7 (11) | |
| Having no health insurance (–)9 34 38 75 | 4 (6) | |
| Identity preserving >cost (+)7 41 | 2 (3) | |
| Cost >type of test (+)28 | 1 (2) | |
| Speed of process | Rapid testing (+)4 10 27–30 36 39 40 44 53 62 | 12 (19) |
| Tester characteristics | Credibility of tester and legitimacy (+)10 40 46 57 75 | 5 (8) |
| Gender of tester (+)4 6 42 46 52 63 | 6 (10) | |
| Tester attitude (+)6 10 31 34 54 56 61 75 | 8 (13) | |
| Tester attitude (–)9 11 44 | 3 (5) | |
| Familiarity with tester/comfortable environment (+)6 34 48 54 | 4 (6) | |
| Lack of familiarity with service (–)9 | 1 (2) | |
| Risk of being recognised (–)5 7 41 | 3 (5) | |
| Professional clinical setting (+)6 46 57 75 | 4 (6) | |
| Specialist knowledge (+)34 44 50 | 3 (5) | |
| Transgender knowledge (+)39 | 1 (2) | |
| Lack of transgender knowledge (–)9 44 | 2 (3) | |
| Non-HCP (–)10 | 1 (2) | |
| Result delivery | Through phone application/online (+)36 | 1 (2) |
| Online results (+)36 | 1 (2) | |
| Online results (–)33 | 1 (2) | |
| Through text if negative (+)45 50 | 2 (3) | |
| In person/via phone call if positive result (+)33 36 45 47 64 | 5 (8) | |
| Call to mobile (+)45 47 50 51 53 66 73 | 7 (11) | |
| Text of all results (+)50 51 53 | 3 (5) | |
| Text of all results (–)47 | 1 (2) | |
| Landline (–)47 | 1 (2) | |
| Calling the clinic (+)50 53 73 | 3 (5) | |
| Post (–)50 | 1 (2) | |
| Support for testing and positive results | Service offers support/education/counselling (+)40 42 46 57 62 65 | 6 (10) |
| Face-to-face counselling (–)46 75 | 2 (3) | |
| Availability of immediate treatment (+)36 62 | 2 (3) | |
| Reminder system | From local health department (+)75 | 1 (2) |
| From STI testing service (+)47 | 1 (2) | |
| Text (+)44 47 65 67 70 | 5 (8) | |
| Call to mobile (+)47 | 1 (2) | |
| Email (+)47 67 | 2 (3) | |
| Call to landline (–)47 | 1 (2) | |
| Letters (+)47 | 1 (2) | |
| Letters (–)43 | 1 (2) | |
| Partner notification | Coded contact slip without infection name (+)45 | 1 (2) |
| Willing to bring partner to clinic or facilitate treatment for partner (+)73 | 1 (2) | |
| Fear of telling previous partners (–)6 | 1 (2) | |
| Availability of other health services | Offering other health services (+)49 54 56 61 | 4 (6) |
(−): study reported this as a non-preferred attribute.
(+): study reported this as a preferred attribute.
*There may be some overlap between themes in various attributes.
HCP, healthcare professional.