title: Predictors of readiness for oral rapid HIV testing by Chilean health care providers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study identified the personal characteristics that affect Chilean health care providers' readiness to adopt HIV Oral Rapid Testing (ORT) in Chile as a new clinical evidence-based practice (EBP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a cross-sectional research design, the study sampled 150 nurses, midwives, and physicians employed at four clinics within the Pontifícia Universidad Católica de Chile Health Network in Santiago. Participants completed a self-administered survey asking about their demographic background, EBP attitudes and experience, personal beliefs related to HIV, the importance of HIV testing, and perceived self-comfort in performing a rapid HIV test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the participants, 90% believed that incorporating ORT would make a positive difference in their practice and said that they would be willing to adopt the technology for that reason. Nonetheless, the providers reported a mean "readiness to implement ORT" score of 15.1 out of a possible value of 20, suggesting only moderate self-perceived readiness to adopt the EBP. Education, beliefs about evidence-based practice, perceived comfort in performing ORT, and perceived importance of HIV testing explained 43.6% of the variance in readiness to adopt ORT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this first ORT pre-implementation study in Chile can help guide policy makers and HIV stakeholders to prepare for and increase primary health care providers' readiness to successfully adopt this evidence-based technology. Successful adoption of ORT could increase Chile's capacity to reach HIV-vulnerable Chileans for testing and referral to care if infected, thus helping the country to reduce further transmission of the virus and its medical complications.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lisette P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Irarrázabal
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kathleen F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Norr
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Rosina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cianelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: L Michele
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Issel
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Pontifícia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hotton
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002677:Chile; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy