HIV Testing

Data on HIV testing patterns provide information that is helpful in focusing HIV counseling and testing programs. The data may also be used to help identify potential gaps in HIV surveillance data, which represent only persons who have been tested for HIV infection. HIV testing data are available from surveys conducted in the general population (BRFSS) and in high-risk populations (HITS and SOS), and from publicly funded HIV counseling and testing sites.

Testing in the General Population (BRFSS)

Overall in 2001, less than half (46%) of the persons surveyed in BRFSS reported having ever been tested for HIV (Table 21). Persons who reported having had 2 or more sex partners during the past 12 months were more likely to have been tested for HIV than persons (particularly women) with only 1 partner.

Whites were less likely to have been tested than blacks or persons of other racial/ethnic groups.

In the age group 18–24 years, persons with 2 or more sex partners during the past 12 months were least likely to have been tested (only 37% had ever been tested). In contrast, among all persons in this age group (including those at lower risk), the reported rate of HIV testing during the past 12 months was higher than in the other age groups (48% had been tested). These data may indicate that HIV screening should be focused on persons aged 18–24.

Among men surveyed in BRFSS, the most common reason for being tested was a routine checkup; among women, pregnancy was the most common reason (Table 22). Only 8% of persons reported that they had been tested to find out whether they were infected. Among persons aged 18–24 years, pregnancy was the most common reason for being tested; most persons in all other age groups were tested during a routine checkup. More blacks, compared with persons of other races/ethnicities, had been tested during a routine checkup.

Most BRFSS respondents had been tested most recently at a private physician’s office or an HMO (43%) (Table 23). The second most common location was a hospital (23%). Responses did not differ by race, although slightly more blacks, compared with other racial groups, had been tested most recently at a hospital rather than at a physician’s office.

Testing in High-Risk Populations (HITS and SOS)

In 2001, HITS was conducted among persons at increased risk for HIV infection (IDUs, clients at STD clinics, and MSM) in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Monroe. More of the persons surveyed by HITS reported that they had been tested for HIV than had persons in the general population. More MSM (82%) indicated that they had been tested than had IDUs (55%) or heterosexual clients at STD clinics (60%) (Table 24). More female IDUs and heterosexuals said they had been tested than had male heterosexuals or IDUs. A higher proportion of white MSM reported that they had been tested than had black MSM. However, among IDUs, more blacks responded that they had been tested.

Overall, 45% of high-risk persons surveyed in SOS reported that they had been tested for HIV during the past 12 months (Table 25), a percentage that is higher than that of the general population (36%) in the BRFSS survey. More of the women in SOS had been tested than had men. Testing rates were the same for whites and blacks.

Testing at Publicly Funded Counseling and Testing Sites (Louisiana Counseling and Testing Program)

Currently, Louisiana has more than 150 organizations that provide publicly funded HIV counseling and testing services. These sites include Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals clinic sites, including Office for Addictive Disorder clinics (drug treatment centers), Office of Public Health clinics (STD, family planning, prenatal and tuberculosis clinics); CBOs; community health centers; and mobile test sites. The number of HIV tests conducted each year at publicly funded counseling and testing sites decreased steadily, from a high of 63,849 tests in 1997 to 50,211 tests in 2001 (Figure 46). This decline in the number of tests may be due to diverse factors such as the implementation of risk-based testing criteria for clinic clients, decreases in funding, decreases in clinic census, and declines in STD rates.

Figure 46: Trends in HIV Counseling and Testing, by Type of Testing
Louisiana, 1997-2001

Louisiana Office of Public Health clinics offer both anonymous and confidential testing; however, most of the tests have been confidential. The proportion of tests that were anonymous decreased from 20% in 1997 to 13% in 2001. The characteristics of persons tested anonymously differ from those tested confidentially. Most of the persons who were tested anonymously were white or male. More of the persons who were tested confidentially were female or black. Also, more older persons were tested anonymously; more younger persons were tested confidentially. However, this pattern may be due to the fact that more of the younger persons seeking an HIV test are black or female, whereas more of the older persons may be white or male. More than three fourths of all anonymous tests in 2001 were performed in CBOs (51%) or drug treatment centers (26%).

Overall, in 2001, 57% of the tests were provided for females, 61% for blacks, and 35% for whites. Most of the tests were performed for persons aged 13–29 years (65%). Nearly half (44%) of the HIV tests were performed in STD clinics, and another 14% were performed in CBOs (Table 26). The demographic characteristics of the persons tested were relatively stable during 1997–2001.

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