The Role of Government-Funded Assistance Programs on HIV Testing Among Poor U.S. Adults

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Low-income adults face barriers to healthcare access, including HIV testing.
• Government-funded assistance programs may facilitate access to health services for vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between enrollment in government-funded assistance programs and HIV testing among low-income U.S. adults.
• To determine if program participation influences HIV testing behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of pooled data from the 2016-2018 National Health Interview Survey (N=9,497).
• Focus on adults aged 18-64 with incomes below the U.S. poverty threshold.
• Used adjusted prevalence ratios to assess the likelihood of ever testing for HIV, controlling for sociodemographic factors.

Main Results:

• Government-funded assistance program beneficiaries were significantly more likely to have ever tested for HIV (aPR=1.3; 95% CI [1.2, 1.4]).
• This association remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographic covariates.

Conclusions:

• Enrollment in government-funded assistance programs is positively associated with HIV testing among low-income adults.
• These programs may play a crucial role in increasing HIV testing uptake in this population.