8th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA]


19 – 21 April 2002, University of York, York


[TITLE:] REACHING PROPOSED TARGETS IN THE NATIONAL SEXUAL HEALTH STRATEGY? HIV TESTING IN GENITOURINARY (GUM) SERVICES

[AUTHOR(S):] G Arthur1, F Burns1, C Mercer2, D Mercey2
1 Royal Free and University College Medical School and 2 Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London

BHIVA Conf 2002 Apr 19-21;8:O4

OBJECTIVE: To understand current HIV testing practices at a central London GUM clinic in view of the proposed National Sexual Health Strategy targets.

METHODS: All patients with a new problem attending routine GUM clinics between August 2000 and February 2001 were identified from the clinic database. Their basic demographics were then matched with HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) results. High-risk categories based on an African country of birth, ethnicity (black African), men who have sex with men (MSM) and concurrent STI were created. HIV prevalences (prev.) are based on those tested.

RESULTS: 47% (3200/6787) of clients tested for HIV: 52% of men and 42% of women, P<0.001 (HIV prev. 3% and 1%, respectively). Clients from most 'high-risk' groups had a higher test uptake. Of MSM, 52% had HIV tests (HIV prev. 5%) versus 46% of heterosexuals (HIV prev. 1%), P<0.001. 52% of Africans (based on country of birth and ethnicity) (HIV prev. 9%) and 46% of non-Africans had tests (HIV prev. 2%), P=0.04. In contrast, there was no significant difference in test uptake for those with or without a concurrent STI (HIV prev. 2% for both). Overall, 49% of 'high risk' (HIV prev. 4%) and 45% of 'low risk' (HIV prev. 1%) clients had tests, P=0.001. Among 31 clinicians, test uptake rates ranged from 28 to 61% (mean 47.5% , 95% confidence interval 44.5–50.5%).

CONCLUSIONS: Overall HIV testing rates already exceed the proposed 40% national target for 2004. However, it is of concern that in those groups at higher risk, almost half remain untested. Clinician variation in test uptake suggests that training initiatives may improve test uptake.

PRESENTING AUTHOR: G Arthur

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