Walensky et al., 2011(29)

In addition to the one RCT by Walensky et al. 2011 (29), one non-randomized study examined HTS uptake before and after the introduction of lay providers in Thyolo District, Malawi (Bemelmans et al., 2010) (30). This study found HTS uptake increased from 1300 tests per month in 2003 to 6500 tests per month in 2009. This was the result of an increase from 14 HTS sites at the end of 2003 (with an average of 93 tests per site per month) to 39 sites at the end of 2009 (with an average of 167 tests per site per month).

Jackson et al., 2013 (31); Molesworth et al., 2010 (10); Kanal et al., 2005 (32).

Jackson et al., 2013 (31): Of 3,986 matched samples, lay provider and laboratory results of HTS were concordant in all but 23 cases. Of these, further examination revealed only 2 cases that could be considered “critical errors” where the lay provider found a positive result and the laboratory had a negative result; the rest were cases where at least one result was indeterminate, and most of these were considered cases of the lay provider being extra cautious.

Molesworth et al., 2010 (10): Of 2911 matched samples, lay provider and laboratory results were concordant in all but 4 cases, 3 of which were considered most likely the result of “sample peculiarities”.

Kanal et al., 2005 (32): Of 563 matched samples, lay provider and laboratory results of HTS were concordant in all but 4 cases; of these, “Further investigation confirmed that all the reports by the counsellors [lay providers] were correct, and that human error in writing reports in the laboratory was a cause of these discordant reports”.

Jackson et al., 2013 (31); Molesworth et al., 2010(10).

Jackson et al., 2013(31).

Molesworth et al., 2010 (10); 95% CI not reported