title: Earlier testing for HIV--how do we prevent late presentation?
abstract: HIV testing policies and practices vary widely across Europe. It is clear that there are individuals who might present late for HIV diagnosis and care within all risk groups, and potentially in any healthcare setting. This article explores the need to ensure earlier identification and treatment of late-presenting patients by reviewing strategies that might be considered. Such strategies could include routine provider-initiated HIV testing of at-risk groups in settings such as sexually transmitted infection clinics, drug dependency programmes or antenatal care. Healthcare providers might also consider routine HIV testing in all healthcare facilities, in settings including emergency and primary care, where local HIV prevalence is above a threshold that should be further evaluated. They should also take advantage of rapid testing technologies and be aware of barriers to HIV testing among specific groups to provide opportunities for testing that are relevant to local communities.
authors.affiliation: Service Universitaire des Maladies Infectieuses et du Voyageur, Centre Hospitalier de Tourcoing, Tourcoing, France. yyazdan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yazdan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yazdanpanah
authors.forename: Joep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerstoft
authors.forename: Gus
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cairns
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013997:Time Factors