Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia - Thursday June 24, 1999
The number of anonymous HIV tests, in which people do not have to give their names, declined almost 27 percent between 1995 and 1997 at about 11,000 federally funded testing sites around the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
During the same period, the number of confidential tests, in which people gave their names but were assured of confidentiality, rose almost 3 percent at the sites, the CDC said.
In 1997, 466,560 anonymous tests and 1.42 million confidential tests were administered at federally funded facilities such as HIV testing centers, sexually transmitted disease clinics, drug-treatment centers, hospitals and prisons, the CDC said.
"It could be that people now see HIV as a more treatable condition and a less stigmatizing condition," said Dr. Robert Janssen, deputy director of the CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention-Surveillance and Epidemiology division.
New regulations against breaches in the confidentiality of HIV test results may also be a factor in the decline in anonymous testing, researchers said. "Men who have sex with men were more likely in our federally funded facilities to choose anonymous testing. Asian-Pacific Islander and white men were particularly more likely to choose anonymous testing," Janssen said.
He said it was important to continue offering anonymous testing "because people who get tested anonymously are more likely to get into care earlier in their disease than people who test confidentially,"
He said new AIDS therapies "have had a dramatic effect on people's lives with HIV. People with HIV infection are now living longer and better lives because of the new therapies."
990624
RE990615
Copyright © 1999 - Reuters, Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Contact Reuters.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1999. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1999. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .