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Antenatal HIV antibody testing in Australia
J Elford1, M A MacDonald, R G Gabb
1National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney.
The Medical Journal of Australia
|August 21, 1995
Summary
In Australia, about 20% of pregnant women underwent voluntary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing during antenatal care in 1991-92. This voluntary approach may not accurately reflect the true prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant populations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Surveillance
Background:
- Voluntary antenatal testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a key component of HIV surveillance and prevention strategies.
- Understanding the uptake and patterns of antenatal HIV testing is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the role of voluntary antenatal HIV testing in Australia.
- To examine current antenatal HIV antibody testing practices and policies among healthcare providers and public hospitals.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing self-administered questionnaires distributed to specialist obstetricians, general practitioners (GPs), and public hospital antenatal clinics across Australia.
- Data collected between August and November 1992.
Main Results:
- Approximately 60% of specialists and a higher proportion of GPs offered antenatal HIV testing, with significant variations observed between Australian States and Territories.
- 81% of public hospital antenatal clinics provided HIV testing.
- An estimated 25% of pregnant women seen by specialists, 29% by GPs, and 9% in public clinics were tested for HIV antibody in the 1991-92 financial year.
Conclusions:
- In 1991-92, roughly one in five pregnant women in Australia received voluntary antenatal HIV testing.
- The findings suggest that voluntary HIV testing during pregnancy may yield unrepresentative data for accurately measuring HIV prevalence in this population.