Behavior changes after notification of HIV infection.
BACKGROUND
To learn more about how people who did not volunteer for testing react to information about HIV infection, we assessed short-term behavior changes in HIV-positive blood donors.


METHODS
Blood donors who were notified at the New York Blood Center that they were HIV positive were asked to participate in a study. A nurse elicited a medical history, performed a limited medical examination, and asked participants to complete a questionnaire that included questions about drug use, sexual behavior, and psychological characteristics. Participants were asked to return in 2 weeks to complete another questionnaire.


RESULTS
Many fewer men and women reported engaging in unsafe sexual behaviors in the 2 weeks preceding the follow-up visit than had reported such behaviors prior to notification. These changes were greater than those other investigators have reported, but about 40% of the participants still reported unsafe sexual activity at the follow-up interview.


CONCLUSIONS
To make nonvolunteer screening programs for HIV infection more effective in reducing the spread of HIV infection, we need to learn more about how to help people change their high-risk behaviors.
Cleary
P D
PD
Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
Van Devanter
N
N
Rogers
T F
TF
Singer
E
E
Shipton-Levy
R
R
Steilen
M
M
Stuart
A
A
Avorn
J
J
Pindyck
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires