Serving the underserved: an HIV testing program for populations reluctant to attend conventional settings

We assess the contribution of a rapid-HIV testing program run by Médicos del Mundo and oriented to vulnerable populations reluctant to attend conventional settings.

We compare the program outcomes with a network of 20 HIV/STI clinics (EPIVIH) and the Spanish National Surveillance System (SNHSS).

33.3% of the new diagnoses were women (8.6% EPIVIH and 17.7% SNHSS). Transsexuals were 6.9% (1.9% EPIVIH), female sex workers 23.6% (2.0% EPIVIH) and 19.4% Sub-Saharan Africans (3.8% EPIVIH and 7.8% SNHSS). HIV prevalence in men was slightly higher than in the EPIVIH and almost twice among women.

This program is contributing substantially to the promotion of HIV diagnosis in female sex workers, sub-Saharan Africans and transsexuals, which are less present at clinical settings.