160610 Resident Participation in a City-wide HIV Screening Campaign, Washington, DC, 2006 – 2007

Monday, November 5, 2007: 8:50 AM

Amanda D. Castel, MD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Karishma Anand , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Vienna Mbagaya , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Jennifer Schenfeld , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Charles Wu, MPH , District of Columbia Department of Health, Washington, DC
Titilola Jolaosho, MHS , District of Columbia Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Administration, Washington, DC
Sanni Eniola , District of Columbia Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Administration, Washington, DC
Tiffany West, MPH, MSPH , District of Columbia Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Administration, Washington, DC
Leo Rennie , District of Columbia Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Administration, Washington, DC
Donald Hitchcock , District of Columbia Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Administration, Washington, DC
Marie Sansone, JD , District of Columbia Department of Health, HIV/AIDS Administration, Washington, DC
Manya Magnus, PhD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Irene Kuo, PhD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
James Peterson, PhD , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
Alan E. Greenberg, MD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University, Washington, DC
           
Background: The District of Columbia has the highest AIDS prevalence rate in the U.S. To raise HIV awareness, the DC Department of Health launched the nation's first city-wide HIV screening campaign in summer 2006. The campaign provided free screening to all residents aged 14-84.

Methods: Data on individuals tested through the campaign were collected between 06/06 and 02/07, including testing site, demographics, HIV testing history, reasons for testing, test results and referrals. Frequencies of responses were analyzed using SAS version 9.1.

Results: Data on 8,141 individuals were collected. HIV counseling/testing sites performed the most tests (38%). 94% of participants were from the DC metropolitan area, of which 81% were DC residents (n=6,221). Among DC respondents, 65% were male, 80% were Black and mean age was 34 years (sd 12.6). Most participants (34%) lived in the lowest income regions in DC (Wards 7 and 8). 30% of participants (n=1,881) had been tested for HIV within the past year. The most frequently reported reason for participating in the campaign was to “make sure I was HIV negative” (39%). 65% of participants reported that they would have requested HIV testing had it not been offered. 2% of participants (n=113) tested preliminarily positive. Of those individuals, 22% had been tested within the last year and 45% were referred for care and treatment.

Conclusions: City-wide HIV screening in a high prevalence area was acceptable among residents. Although the campaign successfully identified many potentially new HIV cases, referrals to care and treatment should be improved.

Learning Objectives:
1.To describe the demographics of participants in an HIV screening campaign. 2.To understand the testing behaviors and reasons for participation in a HIV screening campaign. 3.To describe the population testing preliminarily positive during an HIV screening campaign.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Screening

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Emerging Issues and Lessons Learned Regarding HIV Screening
See more of: HIV/AIDS