Screening strategies to inhibit the spread of AIDS

In this paper we explore the costs and benefits of screening programs for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Because of the low prevalence rate of the virus among the general population, the cost per detected case of a program to screen the population at large is very high. We show how this cost changes with the prevalence rate, and how screening high risk groups reduces the cost per detected case. Screening has little point, however, unless there are follow-up activities to reduce the continued spread of the virus. To this end, we present a modeling framework for determination of optimal policy alternatives after screening.