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
. 2023 Mar 1;50(3):175-179.
doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001746. Epub 2022 Dec 2.

HIV Testing Preferences and Characteristics of Those Who Have Never Tested for HIV in the United States

Shilpa N Patel  1 , Brian P Emerson  1 , Marc A Pitasi  1 , Natalie E Tripp  2 , Ruthanne Marcus  1 , Kevin P Delaney  1 , Pollyanna R Chavez  1
Affiliations

HIV Testing Preferences and Characteristics of Those Who Have Never Tested for HIV in the United States

Shilpa N Patel et al. Sex Transm Dis. .

Abstract

Background: The initial phase of the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative prioritized efforts in 57 geographic areas. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends persons aged 13 to 64 years be tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care; however, it is unclear how effectively these testing recommendations have been implemented in EHE priority areas.

Methods: In 2021 to 2022, we analyzed data from a Web-based, nationally representative survey of adults fielded in 2021. HIV testing preferences were compared by testing history, demographic characteristics, behaviors, and geography.

Results: An estimated 72.5% of US adults had never tested for HIV. Never testing was most prevalent among those aged 18 to 29 or those 50 years or older, non-Hispanic White persons, and those living in the Midwest. Among persons living in EHE priority areas and persons reporting at least one behavior that increases risk of HIV transmission, 69.1% and 48.0%, respectively, had never tested for HIV. The top 3 HIV testing preferences among never testers were as follows: testing for HIV during a routine health care visit (41.2%), testing at an urgent care or walk-in clinic (9.6%), and self-testing (8.1%).

Conclusions: Most adults had not been tested for HIV, confirming that US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations are not being fully implemented, even in EHE priority areas. Moreover, most adults who never tested preferred testing in clinical settings, highlighting missed opportunities. As the EHE initiative continues to advance, it is critical to leverage preferred HIV testing modalities, such as routine testing in clinical settings or HIV self-testing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest and Sources of Funding: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Testing preferences of never testers living in EHE areas and those not living in EHE Areas, United States, 2021. Footnote: Participants living in zip codes or states that matched jurisdictions identified as focus areas for phase 1 of the EHE initiative were categorized as living in an EHE area, and remaining participants were categorized as not living in an EHE area.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report. 2019; 32. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/reports/hiv-surveillance.html. Published May 2021. Accessed July 20, 2022.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimated HIV incidence and prevalence in the United States, 2015–2019. HIV Surveill Suppl Rep 2021; 26. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/reports/hiv-surveillance.html. Published May 2021. Accessed July 20, 2022.
    1. Branson BM, Handsfield HH, Lampe MA, et al. Revised recommendations for HIV testing of adults, adolescents, and pregnant women in health-care settings. MMWR Recomm Rep 2006; 55(RR-14):1–17. - PubMed
    1. The White House. National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States 2022–2025. Washington, DC: The White House, 2021. Available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/National-HIV-AIDS-.... Accessed May 24, 2022.
    1. Fauci AS, Redfield RR, Sigounas G, et al. Ending the HIV Epidemic: A plan for the United States. JAMA 2019; 321:844–845. - PubMed