HIV screening practices in U.S. hospitals, 2009-2010

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended routine Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening for individuals aged 13-64 in healthcare settings.
• A 2004 survey indicated low HIV screening rates in hospitals, primarily in labor and delivery, with minimal screening in inpatient or emergency settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the extent of hospital adoption of the 2006 CDC recommendations for HIV screening.
• To assess changes in HIV screening practices in U.S. hospitals since 2004.

Main Methods:

• A national survey of infection-control personnel was conducted in a random sample of U.S. general medical and surgical hospitals between 2009 and 2010.
• The survey collected data on the frequency and departmental distribution of HIV screening within responding hospitals.

Main Results:

• Of 754 responding hospitals, 27.3% screened for HIV in at least one department, a notable increase from 2004.
• Screening was more prevalent in larger, metropolitan, and teaching hospitals, and most common in labor/delivery and substance abuse clinics.
• However, screening remained low in emergency departments (11.9%) and inpatient units (9.6%), and over half of hospitals were not planning to implement CDC recommendations within the next year.

Conclusions:

• While overall HIV screening in hospitals has increased, the majority of U.S. hospitals have not fully adopted the CDC's universal screening recommendations.
• Significant disparities in screening practices exist across different hospital types and departments, highlighting a gap in public health implementation.