Table 1 Definition of the HTS model included in the review [32]

Health facility-based

“HIV testing and counselling (HTC) is a package service intended to allow people to make informed decisions regarding knowledge of their HIV status and the implications of those decisions” [33]. Health facility HIV testing includes the provision of pre-test counselling, HIV rapid tests, and post-test counselling offered to clients within the departments of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), antenatal clinic (ANC), post-natal care, provider-initiated HIV counselling and testing (PICT) or outpatient department (OPD) or voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) centres.

Home-based

Home-based HTS includes pre-test counselling, HIV rapid tests, and post-test counselling by trained HTS providers in the client’s home.

Mobile-service

Mobile HTS uses tents and mobile vans to provide HIV testing in different community locations such as markets, transport hubs, and open fields. The trained HTS provider selects the specific location on an ad hoc basis.

Self-testing

Where a person performs and interprets his or her own HIV test, often in private, self-testing can be done within health facilities or the community or integrated into mobile services or HIV fixed sites or offered at male-dominated workplaces or integrated with VMMC services.

Campaign-style

Ministry of Health or specific organisations uses more accessible community spaces for HIV testing. It is more connected to the community and designed to address community needs.

Stand-alone

Static HTS located near transport hubs and markets where it serves community members.

Other

Primary testing is where HIV testing is provided to the individual accessing the service.

Secondary testing is where providers offer HIV testing indirectly to an individual’s contacts. This is referred to as Index testing when providers work with individuals living with HIV (index clients) to list and invite their sexual partners for HIV testing and counselling. It is referred to as social network testing when providers approach persons within the same social network for HIV testing and counselling.

Workplace HIV testing targets industries such as military, mining, agriculture, fishing, and long-distance drivers and offer HIV testing and counselling in the workplace.