title: HIV testing in Europe: mapping policies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the absence of treatment and in the context of discrimination, HIV testing was embedded within exceptional procedures. With increasing treatment effectiveness, early HIV diagnosis became important, calling for the normalization of testing. National HIV testing policies were mapped to explore the characteristics and variations across European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Key informants within the health authorities of all EU/EEA countries were questioned on HIV testing policies, which were assessed within a conceptual framework and the level of exceptionalism and normalization was scored based on defined attributes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four out of 31 countries participated in the survey. Policies tended to support confidential voluntary testing, informed consent, and counselling. In the majority of countries, specific groups were targeted for provider-initiated testing. Taking together all attributes of HIV testing, 14 countries obtained a high score for exceptionalism, while only 3 achieved a high score on normalization. Italy, Lithuania and Romania had primarily exceptional procedures; Norway leant more towards normalization; Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Denmark scored high in both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In most EU/EEA countries, policies are integrating HIV testing in health care settings, through voluntary and targeted testing strategies. Current HIV testing policies exhibited a high level of exceptionalism with varying degrees of normalization. Further research should compare HIV testing policies with practices.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, International Centre for Reproductive Health, De Pintelaan 185 P3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Jessika.deblonde@ugent.be
authors.forename: Jessika
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deblonde
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meulemans
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Callens
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luchters
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Temmerman
authors.forename: Françoise F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Hamers
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D003219:Confidentiality; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D035141:Voluntary Programs