How Patient Interactions With a Computer-Based Video Intervention Affect Decisions to Test for HIV

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Emergency departments (EDs) are crucial settings for public health interventions.
• HIV testing acceptance can be improved through targeted educational strategies.
• Understanding patient factors influencing HIV test uptake is essential for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) test acceptance among ED patients after an educational video intervention.
• To explore the relationship between patient demographics, pre-intervention knowledge, and HIV testing behavior.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 202 ED patients who viewed an educational video on netbook computers.
• Data collected pre- and post-intervention, including HIV test offer and acceptance.
• Analysis of response times, pretest knowledge accuracy, and demographic factors.

Main Results:

• 43% of patients accepted an HIV test after the video intervention.
• Longer response times to post-intervention questions correlated with test acceptance.
• Incorrect answers on pretest HIV symptom questions predicted higher test acceptance.
• White patients were less likely to accept testing compared to Black, Latino, or 'Other' ethnic groups.

Conclusions:

• Patient engagement, knowledge deficits, and demographic factors are significant predictors of HIV test acceptance in the ED.
• Time spent considering the HIV test offer is a strong indicator of acceptance.
• Findings can inform the development of targeted behavioral health interventions for underserved populations in clinical settings.