Open AccessUsing Peer Recruitment and OraSure to Increase HIV Testing
Author(s) -
Sue Vargo,
Gail Agronick,
Lydia O’Donnell,
Ann Stueve
Publication year - 2004
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.94.1.29
Subject(s) - test (biology) , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , intervention (counseling) , hiv test , demography , medicine , psychology , gerontology , family medicine , environmental health , population , psychiatry , biology , health services , paleontology , health facility , sociology
We describe a community-based pilot study to boost HIV testing in a minority community through social network recruitment and a noninvasive HIV testing methodology. Over an 11-month period, the number of test takers at the intervention site increased by 71.7%, and the proportions of test takers with risk factors similar to those of peer recruiters (heterosexual sex and multiple partners) increased by 24.2% and 19.5%, respectively. At a comparison site, testing remained stable, while the proportion of test takers reporting heterosexual sex and multiple partners decreased by 42.5% and 21.8%, respectively. The use of a social network recruitment strategy in combination with an oral HIV test shows promise in increasing testing and in targeting populations.