A street intercept survey to assess HIV-testing attitudes and behaviors

AIDS Educ Prev. 2001 Jun;13(3):229-38. doi: 10.1521/aeap.13.3.229.19744.

Abstract

Nationally, it has been estimated that 44% of adults in the United States have been tested for HIV, with substantial individual and community-level variations in HIV-testing attitudes and behaviors. HIV-testing behaviors and intentions and attitudes toward HIV testing, particularly toward home tests, were assessed among 385 adults recruited in a street intercept survey from a gay-identified agency, a substance-abuse treatment program, and inner-city community venues (a shopping mall and community center). Across these Los Angeles sites, the proportion of persons reported being tested for HIV in their lifetime (77%) was higher than the national estimate. Gay-identified agency (88%) and substance-abuse treatment program participants (99%) were more likely to have been tested than were the community participants (67%). Participants from a gay-identified agency were more likely to have had an anonymous test (51%) than were those from a substance-abuse treatment program (25%) or community sites (24%). Attitudes toward HIV testing, including mail-in home-test kits and instant home tests, were very positive. Most participants were willing to pay about $20 for a home-test kit. Participants from the community sites (82%) and the substance-abuse treatment program participants (87%) endorsed notification of HIV status to health departments and sexual partners more than did participants from the gay identified agency (48%). The street intercept survey appears to be a quick and feasible method to assess HIV testing in urban areas.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis*
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • HIV Seropositivity
  • Homosexuality
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Los Angeles
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk-Taking
  • Sex Factors
  • Time Factors
  • Urban Population