209534 Use of a rapid HIV home test to screen sexual partners: An evaluation of its possible use and relative risk among men who have sex with men

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 3:30 PM

Ana M. Ventuneac, PhD , HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY
Alex Carballo-Diéguez, PhD , HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY
Cheng Shiun Leu, PhD , HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY
Bruce Levin, PhD , Mailman School of Public Health, Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, NY
Jose A. Bauermeister, MPH, PhD , Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI
Emily Woodman-Maynard, AB , HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY
Rebecca Giguere, MPH , HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY
  
Background: Knowledge of seropositivity has important implications for sexual transmission of HIV particularly for risk reduction strategies used by individuals who will not abstain from sexual intercourse or use condoms consistently. The use of rapid HIV tests to screen partners prior to sexual intercourse could serve as a risk-reduction tool particularly for men who have sex with men (MSM) who continue to be hard hit by the epidemic in the US. Given that antibodies are not likely to be detected during the three-month window period of acute HIV infection, a high-infectivity stage, would lack of condom use following a non-reactive test result increase an individual's risk of HIV infection when compared to inconsistent condom use?

Methods: We computed probabilities of becoming HIV infected using various estimates of HIV prevalence and incidence among MSM in NYC to identify the point at which testing presents an increase in risk relative to the protection provided by different levels of inconsistent condom use.

Results: Preliminary results indicate that the relative importance of testing partners compared to inconsistent condom use as a risk reduction strategy is greatest in high prevalence but low incidence populations.

Conclusions: The use of rapid HIV tests by MSM to screen their partners prior to sexual intercourse does not eliminate risk given the highly infectious period during acute infection; however, it does provide some advantage compared to no condom use. More research is necessary to determine how reasonable and effective this strategy is in reducing risk of HIV infection among MSM.

Learning Objectives:
Compare probabilities of becoming HIV infected using various estimates of HIV prevalence and incidence among MSM in NYC to identify the point at which screening partners presents an increase in risk relative to the protection provided by different levels of inconsistent condom use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conducted the research and analysis for this presentation
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.

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