TY - JOUR
T1 - A street intercept survey to assess HIV-testing attitudes and behaviors
AU - Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane
AU - Mann, Traci
AU - Newman, Peter A.
AU - Grusky, Oscar
AU - Frerichs, Ralph R.
AU - Wight, Richard G.
AU - Kuklinski, Mark
PY - 2001/7/25
Y1 - 2001/7/25
N2 - Nationally, it has been estimated that 44% of adults in the United States have been tested for HIV, with substantial individual and community-level variations in HIV-testing attitudes and behaviors. HIV-testing behaviors and intentions and attitudes toward HIV testing, particularly toward home tests, were assessed among 385 adults recruited in a street intercept survey from a gay-identified agency, a substance-abuse treatment program, and inner-city community venues (a shopping mall and community center). Across these Los Angeles sites, the proportion of persons reported being tested for HIV in their lifetime (77%) was higher than the national estimate. Gay-identified agency (88%) and substance-abuse treatment program participants (99%) were more likely to have been tested than were the community participants (67%). Participants from a gay-identified agency were more likely to have had an anonymous test (51%) than were those from a substance-abuse treatment program (25%) or community sites (24%). Attitudes toward HIV testing, including mail-in home-test kits and instant home tests, were very positive. Most participants were willing to pay about $20 for a home-test kit. Participants from the community sites (82%) and the substance-abuse treatment program participants (87%) endorsed notification of HIV status to health departments and sexual partners more than did participants from the gay identified agency (48%). The street intercept survey appears to be a quick and feasible method to assess HIV testing in urban areas.
AB - Nationally, it has been estimated that 44% of adults in the United States have been tested for HIV, with substantial individual and community-level variations in HIV-testing attitudes and behaviors. HIV-testing behaviors and intentions and attitudes toward HIV testing, particularly toward home tests, were assessed among 385 adults recruited in a street intercept survey from a gay-identified agency, a substance-abuse treatment program, and inner-city community venues (a shopping mall and community center). Across these Los Angeles sites, the proportion of persons reported being tested for HIV in their lifetime (77%) was higher than the national estimate. Gay-identified agency (88%) and substance-abuse treatment program participants (99%) were more likely to have been tested than were the community participants (67%). Participants from a gay-identified agency were more likely to have had an anonymous test (51%) than were those from a substance-abuse treatment program (25%) or community sites (24%). Attitudes toward HIV testing, including mail-in home-test kits and instant home tests, were very positive. Most participants were willing to pay about $20 for a home-test kit. Participants from the community sites (82%) and the substance-abuse treatment program participants (87%) endorsed notification of HIV status to health departments and sexual partners more than did participants from the gay identified agency (48%). The street intercept survey appears to be a quick and feasible method to assess HIV testing in urban areas.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034931514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034931514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1521/aeap.13.3.229.19744
DO - 10.1521/aeap.13.3.229.19744
M3 - Article
C2 - 11459359
AN - SCOPUS:0034931514
SN - 0899-9546
VL - 13
SP - 229
EP - 238
JO - AIDS Education and Prevention
JF - AIDS Education and Prevention
IS - 3
ER -