National HIV Prevention Conference Atlanta, Georgia, USA — July 27 - 30, 2003

Natl HIV Prev Conf 2003 July 27-30:abstract no.
Aldridge C, Randall L
NASTAD, Washington, DC

ISSUE: The CLIA waiver for OraQuick HIV rapid test presents new opportunities for health departments to reach individuals at high risk for infection but presents challenges for implementation.

SETTING: Publicly funded counseling, testing, and referral sites.

PROJECT: NASTAD has been conducting a series of surveys and interviews with state health departments to determine their capacity to implement a waived HIV rapid test and determine technical assistance needs. These surveys and interviews have allowed NASTAD to track the progress health departments have made in implementing rapid tests.

RESULTS: NASTAD has identified goals and strategies for use and implementation of rapid testing technology. Goals set by health departments including increasing return rates for results, better targeting of HIV testing to reach high-risk individuals, and increasing access to testing in highly impacted communities, Strategies for implementation include choosing appropriate uses of rapid tests within jurisdictions, providing training on the new technology, adapting prevention counseling models, retraining staff, working with public health laboratories, evaluating process and outcomes related to rapid testing, etc. Several states have begun making significant strides in implementing HIV rapid tests, with Michigan currently ready to begin distribution of test kits to pilot sites. Other states, including Wisconsin and Oregon will quickly follow. From discussions with these test sites, NASTAD has begun identifying potential "best practices" for HIV rapid tests.

LESSONS LEARNED: Throughout 2003, all health departments will begin planning for and implementing HIV rapid tests. Health departments see rapid tests as a valuable tool to allow them to better target HIV testing toward high-risk individuals that might not otherwise seek HIV testing or who would not return for results.

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Copyright notice: The National HIV Prevention Conference is collaborative effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a U.S. Government agency and other governmental and non-government organizations. All abstracts published in by the conference organizers are in the public domain and can be used without permission. Proper citation, however, is required.