title: [Recommendations of health care users and professionals to achieve a timely access to HIV diagnosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) diagnosis optimizes therapies aimed at reducing viral load, increasing survival, lowering health costs and reducing the number of people infected with the virus. In Chile, despite widespread and readily available HIV testing, infected people continue to get tested in a late fashion and are usually diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the elements that facilitate or impede a timely HIV testing and to evaluate how to improve the access to HIV testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, in-depth interviews to 30 participants with unknown serology, 15 participants diagnosed at AIDS stage and 15 health care professionals working at a primary healthcare settings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Users and professionals formulated three suggestions to improve timely access to ELISA test for HIV diagnosis. Namely, to inform users and professionals about the characteristics of the disease and diagnostic test, to offer fast and easy access to HIV testing, and to train the whole healthcare team about obtaining informed consent for testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These recommendations should be implemented at healthcare centers to attain a timely HIV diagnosis.
authors.forename: Alejandra Ximena
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.forename: María-Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Urrutia
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pérez C
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Marianela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obregón
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arancibia
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lasso B
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002677:Chile; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult