Open AccessThe Effect of HIV Field-Based Testing on the Proportion of Notified Partners Who Test for HIV in New York City
Author(s) -
Tamar C. Renaud,
Melissa R. Wong,
Angelica Bocour,
Chi-Chi N. Udeagu,
Leonard Pickett,
Elizabeth Alt,
Kent A. Sepkowitz,
Elizabeth Begier
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2011.300129
Subject(s) - human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , test (biology) , hiv test , environmental health , medicine , field (mathematics) , virology , demography , family medicine , gerontology , mathematics , sociology , health services , biology , population , health facility , pure mathematics , paleontology
HIV partner services can effectively reach populations with high HIV prevalence. However, located and notified sex and needle-sharing partners of persons infected with HIV often fail to test. Field testing may increase the proportion of notified partners who test for HIV. In 2008, New York City's health department incorporated field testing into partner services. After the introduction of field testing, the proportion of notified partners who tested for HIV rose from 52% to 76% (P<.001). HIV prevalence fell slightly among notified partners who accepted testing (12% to 9%, P=.82), but we identified more than double the number of new positives (11 vs 25). All positive and 97% of negative results were received by the person tested.