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6 important issues to consider on National HIV Testing Day
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Friday, June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. To mark the occasion, Infectious Disease News collected six stories about important issues pertaining to HIV testing. These include barriers to testing and counseling, preference for self-testing over clinician-administered tests, the importance of partner communication, and more.
According to the CDC, over 1 million people are living with HIV in the United States, and almost one in six are unaware of their infection status. For more information on National HIV Testing Day, click here.
Guardianship an issue in HIV testing among older children
Questions as to whether a guardian was suitable to offer consent were among the reasons health care workers did not offer HIV testing and counseling to older children living in sub-Saharan Africa. Read more.
HIV self-testing preferred over facility-based testing
Data from a systematic review suggest that HIV self-testing was acceptable and preferred by those in both high- and low-risk populations. In addition, the partners of those who self-tested also were more likely to self-test. Read more.
Availability of on-site HIV, STI testing at opioid treatment programs declined
The number of opioid treatment programs in the United States that offer on-site testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections declined substantially from 2000 to 2011, according to the findings of a research letter published in JAMA. The availability of on-site testing for hepatitis C virus in these programs remained steady, however. Read more.
Partner communication, commitment influenced HIV testing in adolescents
Partner communication about HIV and being in a committed relationship influenced inner-city adolescents to get tested for the disease, according to study results published in the journal AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Read more.
Finger-stick whole blood collection effective self-test for HIV
HIV self-testing was more accurate with finger stick than oral fluid collection, according to findings of a prospective, multicenter study presented at the 2013 International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Read more.
Pharmacies may offer option for rapid HIV testing
Community-based pharmacies can be effective locations for offering rapid HIV testing, diagnosing HIV, and connecting those who test positive with medical care quickly. Read more.