Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2007 Oct;97(10):1762-74.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2006.096263. Epub 2007 Aug 29.

The utilization of testing and counseling for HIV: a review of the social and behavioral evidence

Carla Makhlouf Obermeyer  1 , Michelle Osborn
Affiliations
Review

The utilization of testing and counseling for HIV: a review of the social and behavioral evidence

Carla Makhlouf Obermeyer et al. Am J Public Health. 2007 Oct.

Abstract

Against the background of debates about expanding HIV testing and counseling, we summarize the evidence on the social and behavioral dimension of testing and its implications for programs. The discrepancy between acceptance of testing and returning for results and the difficulties of disclosure are examined in light of research on risk perceptions and the influence of gender and stigma. We also summarize the evidence on the provision of testing and counseling, the implementation of practices regarding confidentiality and consent, and the results of interventions. We demonstrate that social factors have a considerable impact on testing, show that the services linked to testing are key determinants of utilization, and consider the implications of these findings for HIV testing programs.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Towards Universal Access: Scaling up Priority HIV/ AIDS Interventions in the Health Sector. Progress Report. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2007.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. Basic statistics. 2004. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm. Accessed July 31, 2007.
    1. De Cock KM, Bunnell R, Mermin J. Unfinished business—expanding HIV testing in developing countries. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:440–442. - PubMed
    1. USAID, UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF. Coverage of selected services for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support in low and middle income countries in 2003. Washington, DC: Policy Project; 2004.
    1. UNAIDS/WHO Policy Statement on HIV Testing. Geneva, Switzerland: Joint United Nations Program on AIDS and World Health Organization; 2004.