The link between sexually transmitted disease clinics and HIV counseling and testing centers: who is not getting referred?
A total of 236 clients attending human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing (C&T) centers and sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics were interviewed to evaluate who is being reached by C&T services and if STD clients are being referred to HIV C&T centers. Respondents receiving HIV C&T reported significantly more sexual risk based on characteristics of their partners, whereas STD clinics respondents more frequently reported previous STD diagnoses and sex with prostitutes. Over 50% of the high-risk individuals attending STD clinics were not referred to HIV C&T centers. The differences in perceived risk of current and future infection between STD and HIV C&T centers and the low referral rates of high-risk individuals for HIV C&T indicate a need for increased education efforts, more effective risk-assessment policies in STD clinics, and a tightening of the link between STD clinics and HIV C&T centers.
Pope
S K
SK
Department of Pediatrics-CARE, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock 72202.
Koopman
J S
JS
Ostrow
D
D
Joseph
J
J
Fletcher
D
D
Prokopowicz
G
G
Natale
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003151:Community Health Centers; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*