Abstract

KIE: Two-hundred-seventy homosexual or bisexual men enrolling in the genitourinary department of London's St. Thomas's Hospital were counseled, given written information about AIDS, and then offered screening for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with the option of being told of the result. Those told their results received further counseling, and those testing positive were offered continued support. Only 5% refused testing, and 70% wished to know the result. Antibodies to HIV were found in 14% of those tested (17.9% of the homosexuals and 5.1% of the bisexuals), a lower percentage than reported elsewhere in London. The authors contend that screening is more widely acceptable than previously suggested and that it may serve to allay anxiety and promote behavioral change.