Effective detection of HIV

Abstract

Biomedical advances, new HIV testing technologies, and policy shifts in the last 15 years have created substantial new challenges and opportunities for service providers, policy makers, and researchers regarding broad scale identification of HIV-seropositive persons. Effective HIV testing will be achieved when we: (1) increase the number of high-risk persons tested; (2) decrease the time from HIV infection to detection; (3) increase testing acceptability; (4) increase the proportion of individuals tested who receive their results; and (5) increase the proportion of individuals tested seropositive who are linked to care. Strategies to enhance effectiveness include implementing new testing technologies and delivery modalities; expanding access to client-controlled testing; targeting providers' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HIV testing; mainstreaming HIV testing as routine clinical care; targeting persons who engage in high-risk behaviors and those in high-risk groups; and implementing a national behavioral surveillance system. Addressing these challenges will improve HIV detection in the United States, which is vital to both HIV prevention and treatment.