AEGiS-06IAC: Psychosocial factors influencing HIV testing.

6th International AIDS Conference


San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

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Psychosocial factors influencing HIV testing.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:335 (abstract no. Th.D.837)
Jaccard J, Endias R, Minkoff H; State University of NY, Albany, USA

OBJECTIVE: To identify social-psychological factors influencing HIV test taking behavior and to develop policies for increasing test taking in at-risk populations.

METHODS: Approximately 300 sexually active, lower SES women were interviewed in clinics in a high risk area of New York City and given the chance to take an HIV test.

RESULTS: When asked whether they intended taking the HIV test, 45% said yes; though only 10% actually took the test. Despite this, behavioral intent was an important predictor of test taking, since saying yes was a necessary but not sufficient condition for actually taking the test. About 50% of those who initially said yes declined to take the test when it was offered. Time scheduling difficulties and anxiety about taking the test were major factors associated with behavioral intent/behavior correspondence. The more serious and dangerous a woman perceived AIDS to be, the less likely it was that she would have a positive testing orientation. Negative aspects of HIV test taking, e.g., having to inform sexual partners and parents, general anxiety, and fear of death, were correlated with test taking intent. Positive aspects of testing, e.g., assuring sexual partners, avoiding spread of disease, and early detection were unrelated to test taking intent.

CONCLUSIONS: Educational campaigns that stress the dangers of AIDS may have the undesirable effect of reducing willingness to test for HIV. Clinics need to adopt policies which help people carry out their positive testing intentions and which address the negative concerns about testing. Methods for reducing testing anxiety need to be instituted.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Sexual Partners, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Emotions, Coitus, Anxiety, Sexuality, Communication, Fear, New York City, Human, Female, psychology, ICA6KWDaegis,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,sexualpartners,hivinfections,hivseropositivity,emotions,coitus,anxiety,sexuality,communication,fear,newyorkcity,human,female,psychology,ica6

900620
ThD837

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.