Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
13:45
Using a Pan-Viral Microarray Assay Virochip to Screen Clinical Samples for Viral Pathogens
Published on: April 27, 2011
19.5K
Church-Based HIV Screening in Racial/Ethnic Minority Communities of California, 2011-2012
Malcolm V Williams1, Kathryn Pitkin Derose1, Frances Aunon1
1RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)
|January 27, 2017
Summary
Community HIV testing in churches reached many uninsured individuals, including African Americans and Latinos, who had never been tested before. While few new HIV cases were found, this approach supports universal testing goals.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Community Health
Background:
- Community-based HIV testing in religious congregations is a strategy to reach disproportionately affected populations.
- Limited data exist on the effectiveness of church-based HIV testing in overcoming access barriers and identifying new cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the outcomes of an HIV testing program conducted in five churches in Los Angeles County.
- To assess the program's ability to reach underserved populations and identify previously undiagnosed HIV infections.
Main Methods:
- An HIV testing program was implemented within a larger HIV stigma reduction intervention.
- Testing occurred at five churches in Los Angeles County between 2011 and 2012.
Main Results:
- 323 HIV tests were administered, identifying one positive result.
- The program successfully reached a significant proportion of participants who had never been tested for HIV.
- Many participants who were tested lacked health insurance.
Conclusions:
- Church-based HIV testing may not be the most efficient method for identifying new HIV cases.
- This approach can contribute to achieving universal HIV testing goals by reaching individuals with limited access to healthcare.
- Religious congregations can serve as valuable sites for HIV screening in vulnerable communities.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bias in Epidemiological Studies
1.5K
Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
1.5K
01:26Sexually Transmitted Infections
1.4K
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
1.4K
01:08Prevalence and Incidence
2.2K
In statistical epidemiology and health sciences, two essential metrics—prevalence and incidence—are fundamental for understanding disease dynamics within a population. These measures enable public health officials, epidemiologists, and researchers to assess the burden of diseases, allocate resources effectively, and design impactful public health policies and interventions.
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
2.2K