Counseling regarding human immunodeficiency virus-antibody testing: an interactional method of knowledge and risk...

The purposes of this paper are to summarize issues regarding the administration of HIV-antibody testing and to present an interactional method of communicating information to patients regarding AIDS, transmission of HIV, and the meaning of HIV-antibody test results. HIV-antibody testing, when associated with pretest and posttest counseling, can be used to educate individuals at risk for HIV infection and AIDS and can serve as an intervention to prevent the spread of HIV. We have used the interactional method with over 250 outpatients who sought treatment for cocaine dependency. We found the method to be easily administered by medical and nonmedical staff and well accepted by patients.