title: Greater acceptance of routine HIV testing (opt-out) by patients attending an infectious disease unit in Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to determine attitudes and opinions of patients seen in our ID Unit on conducting HIV testing universally.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey was conducted in patients between 18 and 65 years without known HIV infection. Requested information about the test was previous embodiment, reasons for rejection, opinion on the universal realization, benefits and/or drawbacks, possible test performance, and availability of results "test negative stigma."
  
  
  RESULTS
  We surveyed 91 patients (54.9% males). Surprisingly, up to 18.7% of patients mistakenly believed that HIV testing is routinely performed without consent. A great majority (98.9%) felt that universal performance on the test would benefit mainly in early diagnosing and/or preventing transmission. Patients younger than 42 years were significantly more prone to doing the test as a routine procedure. Only 4 (4.4%) patients did not participate because they believed they were "not infected." A vast majority (80.5%) of respondents would prefer to have results within the first 24 hours. In addition, 20.7% would have a problem with confidentiality if HIV serology testing was done.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, the vast majority (95.6%) of the surveyed patients had a fair opinion about universal HIV testing. Only 4 patients (4.4%) would not consent to HIV testing (because of low-risk perception). Availability of rapid HIV tests can facilitate fast result delivery, facilitating linkage to care. Considering favorable patients' opinion, recent opt-out screening recommendations, highest HIV prevalence in admitted patients, and cost-effectiveness, studies favor universal HIV testing.
authors.affiliation: 1Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Clinico San Juan, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jover-Diaz
authors.forename: Jose-Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cuadrado
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matarranz
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calabuig
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003219:Confidentiality; D003625:Data Collection; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult