HIV antibody testing: Genito-Urinary Clinic or additional site same-day testing service.
It has been suggested that different groups of individuals, possibly those at greater risk, may choose to attend anonymous HIV services not attached to Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinics. This paper reports the results of a comparative study of documented sociodemographic profile and risk category for individuals having HIV antibody tests at a Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic and at an additional site same-day HIV antibody testing service not attached to a Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic but within the same hospital. A retrospective case record analysis for 12 months from 1.10.93 to 30.9.94 was performed. During the 12-month study period 954 people had HIV testing at the additional site HIV antibody testing service and 803 had HIV antibody testing at the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic. Of those attending the additional site testing service 218 (22.9%) were homosexual/bisexual males as compared with 128 (15.9%) of the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic attendees (p < 0.01). A total of 22 (2.3%) of the individuals attending the additional site service gave a history of sexual contact in Africa as compared with 52 (65%) attending the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the gender or age of those having HIV antibody tests at the two locations (p = 0.82 and p = 0.39 respectively). Four hundred and seventeen (52%) of the tests performed at the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic were performed on those who had not already decided to have a test before attending the clinic. Of those individuals who had decided to have a test before attending, 2.5 times as many attended the Same-Day Service as attended the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic (954 additional site attenders compared with 384 Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic attenders). The results suggest that to optimize patient choice and benefit from a HIV antibody testing service this should be available at both Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinics and at additional site testing services.
Hudson
M M
MM
Department of Genito-Urinary Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
Nelson
W L
WL
Ronalds
C J
CJ
Anderson
J
J
Jeffries
D J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality; D003954:Diagnostic Services; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014686:Venereology