Impact of provision of referral guide resource on rapid HIV testing

The integration of HIV rapid testing (RT) into reproductive health clinical and community settings represents an important step in the prevention of HIV among sexually active individuals. Program managers, however, report that a lack of information and fear of giving positive HIV results are barriers to the implementation of HIV RT. This project addresses these barriers by gathering and making relevant information and resources immediately accessible, thereby reducing anxiety. The resulting “I Just Found Out…” booklet for patients receiving an HIV diagnosis and its accompanying referral guide are designed with comprehensive and customized content for their particular community.

The intent of the materials is: (A) To facilitate the provision of high quality referrals to HIV positive clients; and (B) To increase provider use of HIV RT by providing referral resources specific to the given region. The guide covers topics on giving results, medical health, sexual/reproductive health, wellness, support services, and patients' rights and responsibilities.

The guide has been very well received; evaluation results indicate that it addresses the key issues providers face. Overall satisfaction was measured as 4.8 on a 5 point Likert scale. 73% of providers agreed or strongly agreed that the materials increased their comfort level with providing an HIV positive result. 100% of providers surveyed felt the guide was relevant and useful in delivering test results and providing referrals to clients.

The HIV Referral Guide is a valuable reference tool that increases provider comfort with HIV RT and can increase adoption of HIV RT in healthcare settings.