title: HIV testing, risk perception, and behaviour in the British population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between HIV risk behaviour, risk perception and testing in Britain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A probability sample survey of the British population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data on sexual behaviour, self-perceived HIV risk and HIV testing (excluding testing because of blood donation) from 13 751 sexually experienced men and women aged 16-74, interviewed between 2010 and 2012 using computer-assisted face-to-face and self-interviewing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether, 3.5% of men and 5.4% of women reported having an HIV test in the past year. Higher perceived risk of HIV was associated with sexual risk behaviours and with HIV testing. However, the majority of those rating themselves as 'greatly' or 'quite a lot' at risk of HIV (3.4% of men, 2.5% of women) had not tested in the past year. This was also found among the groups most affected by HIV: MSM and black Africans. Within these groups, the majority reporting sexual risk behaviours did not perceive themselves as at risk and had not tested for HIV. Overall, 29.6% of men and 39.9% of women who tested for HIV in the past year could be classified as low risk across a range of measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most people who perceive themselves as at risk of HIV have not recently tested, including among MSM and black Africans. Many people tested in Britain are at low risk, reflecting current policy that aims to normalize testing. Strategies to further improve uptake of testing are needed, particularly in those at greatest risk, to further reduce undiagnosed HIV infection at late diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: aResearch Department of Infection and Population Health, University College LondonbHIV and STI Department, Public Health EnglandcDepartment of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Soazig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clifton
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nardone
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Catherine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Mercer
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanton
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Macdowall
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sonnenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult