 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
John E. Anderson, PhD, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/MS E-46, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-639-2046, jea1@cdc.gov and Stephanie L. Sansom, PhD, MPP, MPH, Epidemiology Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-45, Atlanta, GA 30333.
Background: It is recommended that all pregnant women obtain voluntary HIV testing for prevention of perinatal transmission. Objective: To estimate the degree of and differences in testing among childbearing-aged and and pregnant women. Methods: We used national and state household surveys of adults (National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)) and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a state-level surveys of women who recently have given birth. We estimated the rate of HIV testing of women aged 18-44, and the variation in HIV testing by state, socioeconomic characteristics, source of care, and risk behaviors. Results: By 2001, 49.2% (95% CI 48.0-50.5%) of women 18-44 had been tested (NHIS), but among women pregnant at time of interview, 24.1% (19.1-29.1%) had never been tested. Testing varied among states ranging from 39.5% (35.8-35.8%) of women 18-44 in Utah to 71.6% (66.8-76.4%) in the District of Columbia ever tested (BRFSS). The percentage of women obtaining an HIV test during pregnancy in 9 states conducting PRAMS in 1999-2000, ranged from 63.2% (60.0-66.4%) to 81.1% (87.4-83.7%). Women were more likely to get tested during pregnancy if they were: younger, black, of lower education, obtained prenatal care from a public rather than private provider, or paid for prenatal care through Medicaid rather than private insurance or other means. Conclusions: One-fifth or more of women are not tested for HIV during pregnancy. Prevention programs need to reach groups with lower testing rates, including those obtaining prenatal care from private providers.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: HIV Interventions, Prescription Drug Use Patterns
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.