title: Church-Based HIV Screening in Racial/Ethnic Minority Communities of California, 2011-2012.
abstract: Community-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing at religious congregations has been proposed as a potentially effective way to increase screening among disproportionately affected populations, such as those self-identifying as African American and Latino. Although congregations may provide reach into these communities, the extent to which church-based HIV testing alleviates access barriers, identifies new cases, and reaches people at increased risk for HIV is not well documented. We examined the results of an HIV testing program that was conducted as part of a larger intervention aimed at reducing HIV stigma at five churches in Los Angeles County, California, in 2011-2012. HIV screening identified one positive result in 323 tests but reached a substantial proportion of people who had not been tested before, including many who lacked health insurance. Although this approach may not be an efficient way to identify cases of previously unknown HIV infection, it could help achieve universal testing goals.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Malcolm V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn Pitkin
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Derose
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aunon
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kanouse
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bogart
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Beth Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Services, City of Long Beach, Physician Services Bureau, Long Beach, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah Owens
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D012067:Religion; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D057545:Social Stigma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV testing; access to care; religious congregations