title: Who are California's late HIV testers? An analysis of state AIDS surveillance data, 2000-2006.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Late HIV testing leads to preventable, severe clinical and public health outcomes. California, lacking a mature HIV surveillance system, has been excluded from documented analyses of late HIV testers in the United States. We identified factors associated with late HIV testing in the California AIDS surveillance data to inform programs of HIV testing and access to treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from California AIDS cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2006 and reported through November 1, 2007. Late testers were people diagnosed with HIV within 12 months before their AIDS diagnosis. We identified factors significantly associated with late HIV testing using multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 28,382 AIDS cases, 61.2% were late HIV testers. Late testing was significantly associated with those > or = 35 years of age, heterosexual contact or unknown/other reported transmission risk, and being born outside of the U.S. When further classified by country of birth, people born in Mexico were most likely to be HIV late testers who progressed to AIDS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support wider implementation of opt-out HIV testing and HIV testing based in emergency departments. Services for HIV testing and treatment should be inclusive of all populations, but especially targeted to populations that may have more limited access.
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182, USA. janet.tang@med.navy.mil
authors.forename: Janet J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hernandez
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors