Understanding the patient's perspective on rapid and routine HIV testing in an inner-city urgent care center

The purpose of this study was to explore patient perspectives of rapid and routine HIV-testing in an urgent care center at an urban public hospital. We conducted structured focus groups during a clinical trial comparing routinely offered rapid HIV-testing, routinely offered enzyme immunoassay (EIA)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:AIDS education and prevention 2004-04, Vol.16 (2), p.101-114
Main Authors: HUTCHINSON, Angela B, CORBIE-SMITH, Giselle, THOMAS, Stephen B, MOHANAN, Sveta, DEL RIO, Carlos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Adult
African Americans
AIDS Serodiagnosis - methods
AIDS Serodiagnosis - psychology
AIDS/HIV
Biological and medical sciences
Central Cities
Clinical trials
Content analysis
Departments
Female
Focus Groups
Formative Evaluation
Health Care Services
HIV
Hospitals
Hospitals, Public
Hospitals, Urban
Human immunodeficiency virus
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Information Sources
Inner city
Interviews
Male
Measurement Techniques
Medical sciences
Medical screening
Medical Services
Middle Aged
Opportunities
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Patients
Patients - psychology
Public health
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Test Results
Tests
Urban Population
Viral diseases
Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to explore patient perspectives of rapid and routine HIV-testing in an urgent care center at an urban public hospital. We conducted structured focus groups during a clinical trial comparing routinely offered rapid HIV-testing, routinely offered enzyme immunoassay (EIA) testing, and conventional EIA testing. Participants of the six focus groups were 89% African American, 60% uninsured, and had a low educational status. Four independent coders analyzed the data using iterative content analysis. Rapid testing was preferred to EIA testing because it reduced the need for a return visit and stress of waiting for test results, though there were concerns about accuracy. Participants supported routinely offering testing, but there were concerns about privacy and cost. Fear and stigma were common reasons for refusing testing and not returning for results. Distrust and misconceptions about HIV, particularly regarding the importance of testing, were very common.
ISSN:0899-9546
1943-2755
DOI:10.1521/aeap.16.2.101.29394