Estimating Gains in HIV Testing by Expanding HIV Screening at Routine Checkups

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• HIV testing remains crucial for public health, yet significant portions of the US adult population have not been tested.
• Missed opportunities for HIV testing are prevalent, particularly among individuals who do not engage in regular health screenings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the potential increase in HIV testing prevalence by integrating HIV screening into routine medical checkups.
• To identify subpopulations that would benefit most from increased HIV testing during primary care visits.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for the United States.
• Assessed the prevalence of ever being tested for HIV and identified missed testing opportunities.
• Modeled the impact of increased HIV testing rates during routine checkups on overall testing prevalence.

Main Results:

• In 2019, 49.5% of US adults reported ever being tested for HIV, with 34.5% representing missed testing opportunities.
• A hypothetical 50% increase in HIV testing during routine checkups could elevate overall testing prevalence to 84.0%.
• The greatest increases in testing prevalence were observed among adults aged 35-54, Black individuals, females, those with health insurance, and individuals reporting HIV risk behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Routine integration of HIV screening into primary care settings offers a substantial opportunity to increase HIV testing coverage among US adults.
• Ensuring all adults know their HIV status is achievable through continued promotion of HIV testing and implementation of routine clinical screening.