AEGiS-14IAC: High HIV prevalence among patients choosing anonymous testing.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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High HIV prevalence among patients choosing anonymous testing.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no.. ThOrD1397)

Sasse A, Vincent A, Galand M
Medecins sans Frontieres, Brussels, Belgium

BACKGROUND: Specialised HIV testing site providing anonymous testing in Belgium. Material and

METHODS: The HIV testing site of Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) is located in the centre of Brussels and provides free and anonymous HIV testing along with pre- and post-test counseling since 1989. When necessary a psychological support is also provided to tested patients. The activity is not publicly funded. For each test, a questionnaire is filled by the patient, collecting information on age, sex, nationality, residence, possible route of transmission and reason for testing.

RESULTS: From 1989 until 2000, 24340 HIV tests were performed; the testing activity peaked in 1995 (2999 tests) and decreased over time in the following years (1754 tests performed in 2000). Overall, 62.3% of tested persons were males, 16.5% were men who have sex with men and 1.6% were intravenous drug users. A nationality other than Belgian was reported by 29.0% of tested persons (other European countries: 15.4%; Subsaharan Africa: 6.6%). Considering the period 1990-2000, the rate of new HIV infections diagnosed per 1000 test performed at the MSF testing site was of 11.6/1000; no trend over time was observed. This rate was significantly higher than the rate observed among tests performed countrywide during the same period (Relative Risk = 7.69; p<0.001). The rate of new HIV infections was particularly high among the following subgroups: persons of Subsaharan nationality (8.3%), and men who have sex with men (2.4%).

CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the population choosing a specialised centre providing anonymous HIV testing includes a higher proportion of persons more likely to be infected than does population tested in general, and that the availability of anonymous testing may encourage persons who would not otherwise seek HIV testing. Anonymous testing should remain an accessible alternative in HIV testing policies and programs.

Keywords: AEGIS, Anonymous Testing, Prevalence, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Substance Abuse, Intravenous, Counseling, Research Design, Mass Screening, Belgium, Africa South of the Sahara, Human, Male, epidemiologyKWDaegis,anonymoustesting,prevalence,hivinfections,hivseropositivity,substanceabuse,intravenous,counseling,researchdesign,massscreening,belgium,africasouthofthesahara,human,male,epidemiology

020707
ThOrD1397

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.