A comparison of patient perceptions and physician practice patterns related to HIV testing

In the past 25 years, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have become leading causes of illness and death in the United States. Over 1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in this country, yet there continue to be many individuals who are unaware of their HIV status. Efforts have been made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase awareness by recommending universal testing in healthcare setting for all individuals ages 13-64, for both public health and personal health reasons. As women are one of the fastest-growing segments of the population with new HIV diagnoses, obstetrician-gynecologists are in a unique position to address this issue by recommending HIV testing to both pregnant and nonpregnant women. In this article, we compare the results of two recent studies conducted by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists-one which examined obstetrician-gynecologists' practice patterns related to HIV testing and recommendations and the other which assessed patients' perceptions of HIV testing and recommendations by their obstetrician-gynecologists. The results of this comparison raise intriguing questions about the similarities and differences between what obstetrician-gynecologists report doing and what their patients perceive them doing as it relates to HIV testing recommendations.