Bartholow B, Metzger D, Davis-Vogel A, Goli V, McLellan E; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. ThPeC5464.

B. Bartholow, 1600 Clifton Road M/S-E4 5, Atlanta Georgia 30333, United States, Tel.: +404 639 61 64, Fax: +404 639 61 18, E-mail: bnb1@cdc.gov

Objective: To determine if HIV testing modality is associated with getting HIV tested and receiving test results among injecting drug users at-risk of HIV infection. Methods: HIV seronegative, in-treatment methadone patients (n = 159), transitional detox patients (n = 196), and out-of-treatment syringe exchange clients (n = 134) were enrolled and randomly assigned to CT or to HT. Participants randomized to HT were provided with HT kits, those randomized to CT were provided with a referral to in-house or a local HIV testing provider. 2-month follow-up was conducted to determine if participants had been tested for HIV and had received their results. The proportion of individuals randomized to CT and HT who were tested and received their test results were compared. Results: 86% of participants had previously been tested for HIV. There were no differences in previous testing across enrollment sites. HT participants were more likely to be tested than CT participants (86% vs 74%, p L .001). Participants who had injected drugs in the previous 6 months were more likely to be tested than those who had not (82% vs 66%, p L .001 ). 78% of participants received their test results with no differences noted between CT and HT study arms. Participants who had injected drugs in the previous 6 months were more likely to receive their test results than those who had not (82% vs 67%, p L .001 ). Overall, the preferred modalities/locations for future HIV testing were HT (54%), health clinics (16%), and doctor's offices (14%). 16% of participants did not express a preference for testing location/modality, however, participants who had injected drugs in the previous 6 months were more likely to prefer HT than those who did not (65% vs 57%, p > .05). No adverse events were observed across either testing method. Conclusions: A majority of participants had previously been HIV tested. Increased testing was associated with HT, but receiving test results was not. Those at highest risk for HIV preferred HT for future testing. HT may provide an effective testing option for public health outreach and harm reduction efforts targeting IDUs.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Counseling
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Mass Screening
• Population
• Research Design
• Substance Abuse, Intravenous
• Substance-Related Disorders
• diagnosis
• drug therapy

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0004506

UI: 102242003

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