Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors
Published on: April 9, 2014
Increasing HIV testing engagement through provision of home HIV self-testing kits for patients who decline testing in
Anuj V Patel1, Samuel M Abrams1, Charlotte A Gaydos1,2
1Department of Emergency Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Objective:
Up to 60% of patients decline routine HIV testing offer in US emergency departments (EDs). The objective of this study is to determine whether the provision of HIV self-testing (HIVST) kit would increase engagement of HIV testing among these HIV test 'Decliners'.
Methods:
Patients who declined a test offered in an ED-based triage nurse-driven HIV screening programme were enrolled and randomised to either the HIVST or the control group. The patients in the HIVST group received HIVST kits to take home, were encouraged to report test results to an established internet-based STI/HIV testing recruitment website 'I Want the Kit' (IWTK) and received five referral cards for their peers to request HIVST kits from IWTK. The control group received pamphlets about publicly available HIV testing sites. HIV testing from both groups after enrolment was determined via telephone follow-up at 1 month. Testing rate ratio (RR) was determined using χ2 tests.
Results:
Fifty-two patients were randomised to the HIVST group and 48 to the control group. Among all 64 patients completing any follow-up, 14/29 (48%) patients in the HIVST group tested themselves at home with the provided kit. Four of these had never had an HIV test. Only 2/35 (6%) in the control group reported having an HIV test after enrolment (RR: 8.45 (95% CI: 2.09 to 34.17)). 57% (8/14) in the HIVST group reported test results to IWTK.
Conclusion:
Provision of HIVST kits supplements ED-based screening programme and significantly improved engagement of HIV testing among those test 'Decliners' in the ED.
Trial Registration Number:
NCT03021005, results.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Testes: Histology
The spermatogenic cells, responsible for producing sperm, are...
Complementation Tests
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
Serum Studies: Renal Function Tests
Significance Testing: Overview
Testes: Gross Anatomy
Each testis is surrounded by the tunica albuginea, a dense connective tissue layer that provides structural support and protection. This layer is covered by an outer serous membrane called the tunica vaginalis, which helps reduce friction...
Testing Water Quality

