P8 Tests of recent HIV infection in clinical practice: the patient perspective

Abstract

Aims/Objectives To promote the importance of HIV testing, and to see if the outreach was successful in targeting a less tested population of MSM. Methods The promotion was determined by the "opportunities to view" key messages. Individuals tested in the bar completed a form collecting age, gender, orientation, time since last HIV test, unprotected anal (UAI) or vaginal sex. Similar information was collected from 100 patients walking into the generic service for an HIV test on the same day. Age groups <25, 26e30, 31e39, >40 were chosen. Results There were 890 000 opportunities to view the key messages. 467 individuals tested in the gay bar, but only 441 forms were sufficiently complete for this analysis. MSM in the gay bar were younger than the clinic (54% and 44% respectively <30; p¼0.027), and more likely to have never tested (18% and 6%; p¼0.007). In the gay bar, only 9/89 (10%) of MSM aged 31e39 had never tested, only 2/9 (22%) reporting UAI. This contrasted to the 15%e24% of 54 MSM in the other age groups that had never tested, 60%e77% of whom reported UAI. Only five MSM attending clinic had never tested, 4 (80%) of whom were <25 (see abstract P7 table 1). Discussion As well as promoting the benefits of regular testing to the wider gay community, the event was successful in reaching a less tested, but nonetheless high risk population of MSM, in particular, those <25.

Recent infection testing algorithm (RITA) applied to new HIV diagnoses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2009 to 2011

“…Two recent studies found that patients valued information about the likely timing of their infection, and no negative outcomes were experienced by those receiving these results [74] [75]. Another study indicated that clinicians found the results helpful and were comfortable discussing these with patients, particularly in the context of possible HIV seroconversion illness [76].…”