title: Patient perception of whether an HIV test was provided during the emergency department encounter.
abstract: This cross-sectional study approached emergency department (ED) patients after the treating physician's disposition decision to measure patient understanding of whether or not they had received an HIV test during their ED encounter. Of the 300 respondents, 24 were excluded due to missing data or because they had received an ED HIV test. Mean age was 41 years, 51% were men, 61% were black, and 29% had no high school degree. There were 5.8% (95% confidence interval: 3.5%-9.4%) who erroneously reported HIV test delivery during their ED course. Our results suggest a small but significant minority of patients falsely assume that they have been tested for HIV during their ED visit. This misperception could have broad implications, leading to less frequent subsequent testing, false reassurance of HIV-negative status, and inaccuracies in surveillance estimates or surveys that depend on self-report.
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors: Naushad M
authors: NM
authors: Khakoo
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Lindsell
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors: Kimberly W
authors: KW
authors: Hart
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors: Andrew H
authors: AH
authors: Ruffner
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors: D Beth
authors: DB
authors: Wayne
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA lyonsme@ucmail.uc.edu.
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Lyons
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care
keywords: HIV screening; communication; emergency medicine; health services; perception