Engaging “frontline” Substance Abuse Treatment Center staff in integrating Rapid HIV Testing (RHT) into rural non-medical setting in the Mississippi Delta

An estimated 25% of HIV-infected persons in the US are unaware of their HIV status, either because they have never been tested for HIV or have not been tested recently. Substance abusers are at higher risk for HIV infection than are non-users. Integrating Rapid HIV testing, referral, and prevention counseling into non-medical settings is a key strategy in HIV prevention, as it is important to identify those recently HIV-infected and link them as early as possible to healthcare and support services. One of the poorest states in the US, Mississippi ranks 14th in the rate of AIDS cases per 100,000 and 8th in rate of HIV infections among teens and young adults. African Americans comprise 72% of the estimated 9,000 Mississippians living with HIV. We report on preliminary results from a study to address the HIV testing and prevention needs of clients in three rural community-based substance abuse treatment centers in the Mississippi Delta. We used a participatory action research (PAR) approach to collaboratively engage and train “frontline” treatment staff to deliver on-site: (1) Rapid HIV testing and, as necessary, treatment referrals; (2) HIV/STI personal and partner risk assessments; (3) HIV/STI transmission and prevention education; and (4) HIV/STI risk reduction counseling to substance abuse treatment clients in non-medical setting – i.e., substance abuse treatment centers in Clarksdale, Greenville, and Greenwood, MS.