Concepts of risk among young Swedes tested negative for HIV in primary care

To explore why young adults test for HIV, how they construct the HIV risk, and what implications testing has for them.

Six tape-recorded focus-group interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to a grounded theory approach.

Women and men between 18 and 24 years of age were recruited from a youth clinic in northern Sweden in 2004-05 after being tested and found to be HIV negative.

A core category--reconsidering risk and four categories--HIV: a distant threat; the risk zone; responsibility: a gendered issue; a green card-- emerged. HIV was described as being far away. Stereotypical images of risk actors emerged but were perceived to be clichés. "Ordinary" people including themselves were also considered at risk. Many had event-driven reasons for testing for HIV, multiple partners being one. One closer risk zone was "the bar"; a dating milieu that often was expected to include "one-night stands" for both women and men. Responsibility for testing was a gendered issue: it was "natural" for women, while men rather "escaped from responsibility". A resistance towards testing was revealed among young men. Receiving a negative HIV test result was "a green card", confirming healthiness and providing relief. Most informants felt "clean" and discussed how to restart with renewed ambitions.

As participating in focus-group interviews was apparently an "eye-opener" for many, a counselling conversation reconsidering risk following an HIV test might be a good idea. Liberal HIV testing among young men and women could evoke insights and maturation and start a process of reflections concerning their sexual risk-taking behaviour.